SLAVES/SUCCESS 


ELLIOTT  FLOWER 


5E52SESESH5252S2SSSB5H5H5H5E5E52 


SLAVES    OF    SUCCESS 


WORKS   OF 

ELLIOTT   FLOWER 

* 
THE   SPOILSMEN     .     $1.50 

DELIGHTFUL  DODD      1.50 


Published  by 

L.   C.   PAGE    &    COMPANY 

New  England  Building 

Boston,  Mass. 


of 


S  L  AV  E  S   O  F 

e^    O  U  \^*  \^*  H/  o  o   e^ 

By     ELLIOTT     FLOWER 

Author  of   "  The   Spoilsmen,"   "  Delightful   Dodd,"   etc. 


JAY     HAMBIDGE 


Boston    +    L.    C.    P  A  G  E 
&     COMPANY   +    Mcmv 


COPYRIGHT,      1904,      BY 
COLLIER'S      WEEKLY 


COPYRIGHT,      1905,      BY 

L.    C.    PAGE     &     COMPANY 

(INCORPORATED) 


ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


|   PUBLISHED    MARCH,    1905 


COLONIAL    PRESS 

Electrotyped  and  Printed  by  C.  ft.  Simonds  &>  Co. 
Boston,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


FOREWORD 

In  presenting  this  story  the  author  desires  to 
acknowledge  the  courtesy  of  the  editors  of  Colliers 
Weekly  and  The  Saturday  Evening  Post.  Six  of 
the  chapters  were  originally  published  serially  in  the 
Fiction  Numbers  of  Colliers  Weekly,  and  one  ap- 
peared, in  somewhat  different  form,  in  The  Saturday 
Evening  Post.  "  The  Cupidity  of  Carroll "  is  now 
published  in  its  entirety  for  the  first  time.  E.  F. 


2135559 


CONTENTS 


I.  THE  NECESSARY  VOTE i 

II.  THE  REFORMER  REFORMED  .        .        .        .31 

III.  A  MORTGAGE  ON  A  MAN  ....      62 

IV.  THE  SLAVERY  OF  A  Boss  .  .        .90 
V.  A  STRATEGICAL  DEFEAT  .        .        .        .119 

VI.  A  FAVOUR  FOR  A  FRIEND  .        .        .        .149 

VII.  AZRO  CRAIG'S  AWAKENING  .        .        .        .188 

VIII.  THE  CUPIDITY  OF  CARROLL  .        .        .        .219 


LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

SLAVES  OF  SUCCESS Frontispiece 

"  HE  .  .  .  PULLED  OFF  HIS  BOOTS  TO  EASE  HIS  FEET"       1 6 
" «  WHAT  DO  YOUR  FRIENDS  WISH  ME  TO  DO  ? '  ASKED 

MARSHALL" 60 

" '  POLITICS,'  SAID  HIGBIE,  '  is  A  BUSINESS  ' "  .      67 

"'YOU  GO  BACK  TO  CHICAGO5".        .        .        .        -75 
« «  IF  YOU  CAN'T  CONVINCE  HIM,  YOU  CAN'T  CONVINCE 

ME'"         .  . 104 

" «  WE    DELIVER    THAT    FOUNDLING    TO     YOU    AS    THE 

REPRESENTATIVE   OF    THE    COUNTY,'   SHE   SAID  "     .       145 

" '  JACK  WADE,  YOU'RE  GOIN'  TO  DRAW  OUT  o'  THE 

RACE   RIGHT   NOW '" 217 


>LAVES<*SUCCES 


I 
THE  NECESSARY  VOTE 


THE  day  after  Azro  Craig  was  nominated  for 
the  Legislature  he  found  himself  surprisingly  popu- 
lar; three  days  later  he  wondered  if  people  thought 
he  was  to  be  the  whole  Lower  House.  For  Azro 
Craig  was  an  unknown  quantity  politically,  and 
therefore  an  object  of  solicitous  interest  to  all 
those  who  sought  legislative  power.  He  had  been 
nominated  as  a  Republican,  but  there  was  little 
reason  to  believe  that  he  would  consent  to  wear  the 
party  collar.  He  was  a  guileless,  hard-headed  old 
fellow,  with  unlimited  faith  in  his  friends,  but 
inclined  to  be  obstinate  and  suspicious  where  faith 
was  lacking.  Consequently,  he  would  not  be  an 
easy  man  to  handle. 

The  nomination  was  a  surprise  to  the  politicians. 


Slaves  of  Success 


The  "  machine  "  had  been  back  of  Nagle,  but  the 
good  people  of  this  country  district  had  wearied  of 
the  "  machine."  The  word  conveyed  only  a  hazy 
idea  to  them,  but  the  newspapers  had  taught  them 
to  attribute  all  that  was  evil  in  State  politics  to 
the  few  men  who  were  popularly  supposed  to  be 
at  the  head  of  it,  so  they  had  turned  out  in  unex- 
pected force  at  the  primaries  to  put  the  stamp  of 
their  disapproval  on  Nagle.  It  naturally  followed 
that  they  had  put  up  a  man  who  had  as  fierce  a 
hatred  of  the  "  machine "  as  any  of  them,  and 
quite  as  little  practical  knowledge  of  it.  In  this 
emergency  certain  prominent  politicians  began  to 
wonder  whether  it  would  not  be  advisable  to  elect 
the  Democratic  candidate.  The  district  was  Repub- 
lican by  only  a  small  majority,  and  a  little  quiet 
treachery  would  almost  certainly  change  the  result. 
Indeed,  if  the  Democrats  made  an  aggressive  fight 
and  the  Republicans  practically  no  fight  at  all,  it 
was  more  than  likely  that  the  Democrats  would  win. 
Possibly  a  "  deal "  might  be  made  that  would  be 
more  advantageous  than  the  election  of  an  obstinate 
old  mossback.  Thus  it  happened  that  Azro  Craig 
received  more  attention  than  it  was  customary  to 
give  a  nominee  in  that  district. 

The  first  man  to  arrive  on  the  scene,  after  the 


The  Necessary  Vote 


neighbours  had  extended  their  congratulations  and 
warned  their  candidate  of  the  wiles  of  practical 
politics,  was  Tom  Higbie,  who  had  been  sent  by  Ben 
Carroll,  and  there  was  an  element  of  treachery  here. 
It  had  been  arranged  that  John  Wade  should  go, 
for  Wade  had  once  lived  in  the  district  and  knew 
the  people,  but  Carroll  was  afraid  that  Wade  might 
so  arrange  matters  as  to  give  himself  more  power, 
and  he  had  enough  already.  Wade  was  politi- 
cally unscrupulous,  but  personally  honest  —  a 
combination  sometimes  found.  This  means  that 
he  was  not  a  boodler  himself,  but  that  he  was  not 
above  helping  boodlers  in  order  that  he  might  use 
them  politically.  He  would  not  offer  a  man  money, 
but  for  a  political  price  he  would  let  him  steal  it 
from  others  or  from  the  State.  Carroll,  on  the  other 
hand,  used  politics  for  his  pecuniary  advantage; 
with  him  power  had  a  cash  value,  in  addition  to 
being  personally  gratifying.  He  liked  to  rule,  but 
he  played  politics  principally  because  it  put  him  in 
the  way  of  making  money.  At  the  present  time  he 
could  not  get  along  without  Wade,  and  Wade  could 
not  get  along  without  him.  Their  alliance  was  one 
of  convenience,  which  either  would  terminate  the 
moment  he  felt  himself  strong  enough  to  do  it. 


Slaves  of  Success 


So    Carroll    had   put    the   case   to  his   lieutenant, 
Higbie,  in  this  form : 

"  Wade  is  going  down  there  next  week  to  look 
the  ground  over,  but  I  don't  see  why  we  can't  do  the 
job  first.  The  House  is  going  to  be  pretty  close,  and 
I'd  rather  not  have  Wade  in  a  position  to  dictate 
terms,  as  he  may  if  he  gets  that  yahoo  on  his  staff. 
I  want  to  make  Mackin  Speaker.  Mackin  is  our 
man,  and,  with  him  in  the  chair,  we  can  organize 
the  House  and  make  Wade  keep  in  line  in  order 
to  get  any  favours  at  all.  He'll  have  to  stick  to  us. 
But  the  margin  is  so  small  that  a  very  little  may 
upset  everything.  He  has  a  personal  hold  on  some 
men  now,  and  control  of  this  yahoo  is  likely  to  give 
him  a  grip  on  some  others  of  the  same  class  —  they 
stick  together  pretty  closely  now  and  then.  If  you 
can  pledge  Craig  to  Mackin,  we'll  take  chances  on 
getting  him  when  we  need  him  after  that;  if  you 
can't,  see  what  you  can  do  with  the  Democrat, 
Rowley.  We  can't  use  him  on  strictly  party  meas- 
ures, but  I'm  told  he  can  be  reached  on  pretty 
nearly  everything  else,  and  a  '  handy '  Democrat  is 
a  whole  lot  more  useful  than  a  balky  Republican, 
and  won't  be  as  dangerous  to  our  Speakership  plan. 
And  Wade  isn't  going  to  like  the  Mackin  idea  at  all. 
That's  why  we've  got  to  see  that  he  doesn't  get 


The  Necessary  Vote 


too  much  power.  Do  you  understand  the  situa- 
tion?" 

"  Perfectly." 

"  Well,  make  a  smooth  job  of  it,  and,  if  Rowley 
looks  like  the  best  man  for  us,  I'll  see  what  kind  of 
a  deal  can  be  made  at  this  end  of  the  line.  The 
Democrats  ought  to  be  willing  to  concede  us  some- 
thing if  we  put  their  man  through  in  a  Republican 
district.  I  wouldn't  wonder  if  Hatton  and  Dailey 
would  help  us  organize  the  House,  in  a  pinch,  just 
to  turn  down  Wade.  They  know  where  our  organi- 
zation will  be  of  advantage  later.  I'll  see  them 
if  that  seems  to  be  the  best  thing  to  do." 

With  these  instructions,  which  show  how  "  ma- 
chine "  men  of  opposite  parties  can  sometimes  meet 
on  the  common  ground  of  personal  or  pecuniary 
benefit,  Higbie  sought  Craig  and  had  a  long  talk 
with  him.  But  Higbie  was  not  a  good  man  to 
handle  Craig.  There  was  something  in  his  manner 
that  suggested  the  schemer.  He  hinted  at  things 
that  he  did  not  explain,  and  he  talked  too  much  of 
being  "  with  the  party,"  and  not  enough  of  being 
conscientious.  Perhaps  his  idea  of  conscientious- 
ness was  "  being  with  the  party."  At  any  rate,  his 
main  argument  was  that  they  had  to  pull  together  or 
the  Democrats  would  control. 


Slaves  of  Success 


"  That  ain't  worryin'  me,"  retorted  Craig. 
"  There's  good  Democrats  an'  there's  bad  Repub- 
licans. You  kin  count  me  ag'in  the  *  machine '  on 
both  sides." 

Then  Higbie  tried  to  explain  that  the  "  machine  " 
was  merely  the  necessary  party  organization,  which 
impractical  reformers  had  maligned  until  they  had 
made  an  opprobrious  term  of  an  innocent  word,  but 
Craig  was  obdurate.  He  did  not  believe  in  the 
"  machine,"  and  he  would  make  no  pledges  what- 
ever. 

"  All  we  want,"  said  Higbie,  "  is  to  make  sure 
that  the  House  will  be  organized  on  a  good  Republi- 
can basis." 

"  You  kin  do  that  easy,"  returned  Craig,  "  by 
doin'  it  right,  but  I  ain't  goin'  to  help  organize  on 
no  '  machine '  basis.  When  I  git  to  Springfield  I'll 
see  how  things  is,  an'  act  accordin'." 

"  You  may  not  get  to  Springfield  if  you  don't 
have  the  party  behind  you,"  suggested  Higbie. 

"  Goin'  to  turn  me  down,  are  you  ?  "  exclaimed 
Craig,  hotly.  "  Well,  you  go  plump  to  thunder!  " 

"  You  misunderstand  me,"  urged  Higbie. 
"  We'll  support  you,  of  course,  but  you'll  stand 
better  if  there's  no  question  as  to  your  party 
loyalty." 


The  Necessary  Vote 


"  The  folks  here  knows  what  I  stand  for,  an' 
that's  enough,"  asserted  Craig,  aggressively. 

"  Why  not  take  a  run  up  to  Chicago  and  have 
a  talk  with  the  party  leaders  ?  "  asked  Higbie,  see- 
ing that  he  would  be  able  to  do  nothing  with  the 
man  alone.  "  That  will  give  you  an  idea  of  the 
situation  and  of  the  need  of  harmony.  Together 
we  can  rule,  and  you  will  be  of  real  value  to  your 
district,  but  no  one  of  us  can  do  anything  alone. 
We'll  be  glad  to  see  you,  and  when  you  know  the 
men  I  think  you'll  take  a  different  view  of  things." 

Craig  said  that  he  might  do  this,  but  Higbie 
already  had  given  him  up  as  an  unsatisfactory 
proposition.  It  was  advisable  to  treat  him  as 
cleverly  as  possible,  so  far  as  outward  appearances 
went;  but  Rowley,  the  Democrat,  might  easily 
prove  to  be  the  better  man  for  their  purposes. 
Rowley  had  changed  his  party  twice.  Beginning 
as  a  Democrat,  he  had  switched  to  the  Republicans 
and  then  back  to  the  Democrats.  He  was  not  a  man 
to  let  a  little  matter  like  political  affiliations  inter- 
fere with  his  own  interests,  so  he  had  changed 
whenever  it  had  seemed  to  be  to  his  advantage. 
The  Democrats,  although  they  had  no  great  love  for 
him,  had  nominated  him  as  a  matter  of  party  expe- 
diency. He  would  draw  some  independent  votes, 


8  Slaves  of  Success 

and  he  could  be  controlled  by  those  who  would 
need  his  services.  Knowing  this  much  about  him, 
Higbie  quietly  arranged  for  a  confidential  chat. 

Craig,  suspicious,  but  unsophisticated,  puzzled 
his  head  not  a  little  over  the  significance  of  Higbie's 
visit.  He  had  expected  to  meet  and  fight  the  "  ma- 
chine "  at  Springfield,  but  he  had  not  expected  that 
the  people  in  Chicago  would  take  such  an  immediate 
interest  in  him.  It  looked  to  him  as  if  he  were 
of  more  importance  than  he  had  supposed.  This 
idea  was  strengthened  by  a  call  from  a  representa- 
tive of  a  political  reform  organization  that  sought 
to  do  with  the  Legislature  what  the  Municipal 
Voters'  League  had  previously  attempted,  with 
reasonable  success,  to  do  with  the  Chicago  City 
Council.  It  investigated  the  records  of  candidates 
and  sought  to  pledge  them  in  advance  to  certain 
principles  of  legislation,  and  to  a  line  of  action  that 
would  thwart  the  plans  of  the  unscrupulous.  Let- 
ters and  circulars  had  come  from  the  Chicago 
headquarters  of  this  organization,  but  Craig  was 
suspicious  of  all  pledges,  and  he  had  ignored  them. 
Nor  did  the  agent  impress  him  any  more  favourably 
than  the  letters  and  circulars.  The  agent  seemed  to 
look  upon  him  with  tolerant  condescension.  He 
was  earnest,  but  there  was  an  aloofness  about  him 


The  Necessary  Vote  9 

that  was  aggravating.  Somehow  he  gave  the  impres- 
sion —  quite  unintentionally,  of  course  —  that  he 
was  a  superior  person.  And  Craig  would  have  none 
of  him.  "  I  ain't  signin'  pledges  nor  makin'  prom- 
ises," said  Craig. 

"  My  dear  sir,"  said  the  reformer,  with  lofty 
complacency,  "  I  fear  you  do  not  understand.  All 
we  desire  is  to  wrest  the  control  of  legislation  from 
those  who  will  use  it  unscrupulously.  We  realize 
that  it  would  be  folly  to  attempt  to  interfere  with 
purely  party  measures,  even  though  some  of  them 
may  be  questionable,  but  we  hope  to  put  an  end 
to  many  forms  of  corruption.  This  task  is  more 
difficult  in  a  State  than  in  a  city,  for  the  party 
is  more  important,  but  there  is  no  reason  why 
it  can't  be  done  in  time.  With  the  aid  of  the 
honest  independents,  we  can  teach  the  politicians 
the  importance  of  putting  up  good  men.  The 
independent  voters  turn  against  an  objectionable 
party  man  every  little  while,  so  why  not  organize 
and  concentrate  that  independent  force  with  a 
view  to  compelling  the  parties  to  put  up  good 
men?  To  do  that  effectively,  we  must  pledge  the 
candidates  and  study  their  records.  Now,  you 
have  no  record  —  " 

"  You  go  to  thunder!  "  roared  Craig.     "  I  got  a 


IO  Slaves  of  Success 

record  of  forty  year  in  this  one  township,  an'  all 
the  folks  know  I'm  square.  You  git  out!  I  ain't 
goin'  to  have  nobody  tellin^  me  what  it's  my  duty 
to  do,  an'  I  ain't  goin'  to  make  a  promise  —  not  a 
darned  one." 

The  air  of  the  man  exasperated  Craig,  and  so 
it  happened  that  he  was  labelled  "  Doubtful,"  al- 
though, as  Rowley  was  designated  "  Bad,"  this 
did  no  particular  harm.  The  reformer  did  not 
know  how  to  handle  him,  but  this  was  also  true 
of  all  others  —  until  Wade  came.  Wade  was  a 
better  judge  of  men,  and  he  had  the  advantage 
of  knowing  both  Craig  and  the  district,  although 
it  was  all  of  ten  years  since  he  had  seen  either. 
Moreover,  Craig  had  a  sort  of  sneaking  admira- 
tion for  Wade.  He  had  gone  to  the  city  and  had 
become  a  big  man,  which  was  proof  of  his  ability. 
True,  he  was  identified  with  the  "  machine,"  but 
one  could  admire  his  success  and  still  be  reason- 
ably cautious  about  succumbing  to  his  influence. 
And  Wade  urged  nothing.  He  was  the  same  old 
Jack  Wade  of  years  ago. 

"  Great  guns,  Azro ! "  he  cried,  when  he  met  the 
old  man,  "  how  did  you  do  it?  " 

"I  didn't  do  it,"  laughed  Azro.  "You  folks 
up  to  Chicago  did  it  by  takin'  so  blamed  much  in- 


The  Necessary  Vote  1 1 

t'rest  in  Nagle.  You  got  him  so  plastered  over 
with  '  machine '  tags  that  the  people  couldn't  stand 
him.  We  ain't  electin'  men  down  here  to  repre- 
sent a  lot  of  you  Chicago  fellers,  you  know." 

"That's  right,  too,"  Wade  declared,  heartily. 
"  I  told  the  boys  to  keep  their  hands  off,  but  they 
wouldn't  listen  to  me.  Well,  I'm  glad  you  got  it." 

Much  more  did  Wade  say  in  the  same  line,  and 
he  talked  politics  with  Craig  for  over  an  hour, 
but  never  once  did  he  even  suggest  that  he  had  the 
slightest  interest  in  the  old  man's  course  of  action. 
He  advised  nothing,  argued  for  nothing,  and  asked 
no  questions  that  could  possibly  arouse  suspicion. 
But  he  learned  all  that  he  wished  to  know,  which 
was  that  Craig  would  be  "  anti-machine  "  on  every- 
thing. 

"  Ever  been  to  Chicago,  Azro  ?  "  he  asked,  finally. 

"  Once,  twenty  year  ago,"  replied  Craig. 

"  Why  don't  you  run  up  some  day  ?  You  know 
I'm  always  glad  to  see  you.  Just  go  right  to  the 
house  and  make  yourself  at  home." 

So  far  as  possible,  Wade  was  clever  to  every 
one.  ;<  You  never  can  tell  when  you  may  need 
a  man,"  was  the  way  he  put  it,  "  so  the  more  you 
have  on  your  staff  the  better  you  are  fixed  for 
emergencies."  He  had  decided  that  Craig  would 


12  Slaves  of  Success 

be  "  worse  than  a  Democrat,"  but  that  was  no  reason 
why  he  should  not  hold  his  friendship,  if  he  could. 
He  had  not  the  same  use  for  Rowley  that  Carroll 
had,  but  a  good  hold  on  Rowley  would  have  its 
advantages,  and  a  strong  "  anti-machine  "  Repub- 
lican would  be  an  absolute  menace.  Furthermore, 
it  was  policy  to  let  Carroll  have  his  way  in  this 
matter,  and  Carroll  wanted  a  spoilsman.  Wade 
could  strengthen  his  own  hold  on  the  party  ma- 
chinery by  giving  this  spoilsman  to  those  who  had 
need  of  him,  at  the  same  time  escaping  a  political 
danger.  For  he  felt  that  there  was  danger  in  this 
intractable  old  man,  with  his  intense  hatred  of  "  ma- 
chine "  politics. 

A  secret  conference  with  Rowley  was  as  im- 
portant in  Wade's  case  as  it  had  been  in  Higbie's, 
for  public  knowledge  of  it  would  create  comment 
and  arouse  suspicion.  But  to  the  suggestion  that 
such  a  conference  be  arranged  he  received  a  most 
startling  reply. 

"  Mr.  Rowley  says  it  would  be  a  risk  that  is 
unnecessary,"  the  go-between  reported.  "  He  al- 
ready has  seen  Higbie,  and  it's  all  right." 

"  Seen  Higbie,"  mused  Wade,  when  he  was  alone. 
"  Why  has  Higbie  been  here  when  the  job  was 
left  to  me?" 


The  Necessary  Vote  13 

He  had  no  need  to  ask  the  question  of  himself, 
for  the  answer  was  framed  in  his  mind  before  it  was 
really  asked.  It  was  Carroll's  work.  Carroll 
wanted  this  man  for  himself;  he  wanted  him  for 
certain  "  jobs  "  that  would  follow  the  organization 
of  the  House,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  pay  a  political 
price  for  him  to  any  one  else.  He  was  strengthening 
himself  —  preparing,  so  far  as  possible,  to  "  go  it 
alone." 

"  That  means  trouble,"  commented  Wade.  "  If 
I  don't  watch  out  I'll  be  on  a  side-track  somewhere. 
I  wonder  if  he  saw  Craig." 

A  delay  of  a  day  or  two  and  another  casual  meet- 
ing with  the  old  farmer  gave  him  the  information 
he  desired  on  this  point.  Higbie  had  seen  Craig, 
had  failed  to  pledge  him,  and  had  asked  him  to 
come  to  Chicago.  Wade  quickly  saw  that  Higbie 
had  made  an  unfavourable  impression,  and  another 
man  in  his  place  would  have  told  the  old  man  of  the 
contemplated  treachery.  But  Wade  deemed  it 
wisdom  to  let  that  information  come  later,  and,  if 
possible,  through  some  other  source. 

"  He's  got  to  be  handled  carefully,"  he  said. 
"  He'd  look  to  see  where  I  was  interested,  and 
he'd  find  out.  Then  I'd  be  losing,  instead  of  gain- 
ing, his  confidence." 


14  Slaves  of  Success 

Wade  went  back  to  Chicago  and  called  together 
a  few  of  his  personal  followers,  with  whom  he  went 
over  the  situation  carefully.  According  to  indica- 
tions, he  might  or  might  not  have  considerable 
strength  in  the  Legislature.  Some  he  might  prop- 
erly call  "  his  men,"  but  there  were  others  whose 
loyalty  would  depend  largely  on  the  showing  he  was 
able  to  make;  they  favoured  him,  but  favoured 
themselves  more,  and  would  not  hesitate  to  ally 
themselves  with  a  stronger  combination.  If  Carroll 
could  get  these,  he  might  easily  control,  and  there 
was  no  doubt  that  Carroll  was  seeking  to  make 
himself  the  absolute  dictator. 

"  I  wish  I  could  get  a  grip  on  that  hayseed,"  he 
muttered.  "  He  may  be  the  key  to  the  situation. 
How  the  devil  can  I  make  him  my  friend  ?  " 

He  wrote  to  him,  making  certain  wise  sugges- 
tions for  the  campaign,  and  he  exerted  his  own 
influence  in  his  behalf.  He  even  sent  one  of  his 
followers  down  there  to  do  a  little  quiet  work,  for 
he  considered  Rowley  quite  out  of  the  question  now. 
He  began  to  hear  talk  of  Mackin  for  Speaker,  too, 
and  his  first  impulse  was  to  notify  Carroll  that  this 
was  equivalent  to  a  declaration  of  war,  but  he 
thought  better  of  it.  With  Mackin  in  the  chair, 
Carroll  would  rule,  and  Carroll  must  be  pretty  sure 


The  Necessary  Vote  15 

of  his  ground  or  he  never  would  have  dared  risk 
the  opposition  that  this  plan  would  arouse.  All  in 
all,  it  was  better  to  meet  this  trickster  on  his  own 
ground  of  strategy  and  duplicity. 

It  was  about  a  week  after  this  —  a  week  devoted 
to  investigation  and  hard  work,  during  which  men 
had  been  sent  to  various  parts  of  the  State  to  weld 
what  promised  to  be  a  faction  of  the  "  machine  " 
more  closely  together,  and  to  see  what  could  be  done 
to  add  to  its  numerical  strength  —  that  Wade  found 
Craig  sitting  on  his  doorstep,  and  it  took  all  his 
self-control  to  withhold  an  exclamation  of  astonish- 
ment and  protest.  Craig  had  come  to  the  city  as 
a  result  of  the  many  invitations  to  do  so  —  some 
extended  as  a  mere  matter  of  form,  and  some  in 
the  hope  that  he  would  really  come,  for  even  those 
contemplating  treachery  were  anxious  to  keep  on 
the  right  side  of  him  temporarily.  He  had  pre- 
pared for  the  trip  by  donning  "  store  clothes," 
which  did  not  fit,  and  a  pair  of  new  boots,  which 
hurt.  The  city  pavements  troubled  him,  and  his 
feet  were  painfully  sore  when  he  appeared  at  the 
door  of  Wade's  home. 

"Jack  Wade  live  here?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Mrs.  Wade,  who  had  happened  to 
come  to  the  door  herself. 


1 6  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I'm  Craig  —  Azro  Craig,"  the  old  man  ex- 
plained. "  He  told  me  to  come  here  an'  make 
myself  to  home." 

Mrs.  Wade,  being  the  wife  of  a  politician,  had 
become  accustomed  to  all  sorts  of  queer  characters ; 
so  she  assured  Craig  that  her  husband  would  return 
soon,  and  asked  him  to  come  in. 

"  Reckon  I  better  wait  here,"  returned  Craig. 
"  It's  so  darned  close  indoors." 

As  he  held  to  this  determination,  he  was  left  on 
the  steps,  where  he  amused  himself  by  making  a 
careful  survey  of  the  exterior  of  the  house.  To  do 
this  the  better  he  crossed  the  street  and  sat  on  the 
opposite  curb. 

"  An'  Jack  Wade  didn't  use  to  have  no  better 
home  than  I  got,"  he  muttered.  "By  gum!  he's 
a  smart  feller,  an'  I'm  darned  if  I  ain't  proud  of 
him."  Then,  after  another  survey  of  the  house, 
"  An'  that  there  belongs  to  Jack  Wade,  that  was  my 
friend  down  to  the  farm,  an'  he  acts  like  he  was 
the  same  old  Jack  Wade,  too." 

He  wandered  back  to  the  steps,  sat  down,  and 
pulled  off  his  boots  to  ease  his  feet.  The  home- 
made knit  socks,  with  conical  toes,  stuck  out  like 
a  pair  of  submarine  boats,  and  these  caught 
Wade's  attention  the  first  thing;  but,  as  recorded, 


"HE  ...  PULLED  OFF  HIS  BOOTS  TO  EASE  HIS  FEET" 


The  Necessary  Vote  17 

he  restrained  the  exclamation  that  sprang  to  his 
lips. 

"  Tryin'  to  ease  my  hoofs,"  explained  the  old 
man,  "  but  I  won't  do  it  in  the  parlour  nor  at  meal 
times,  so  don't  you  worry." 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,  Azro,"  returned  Wade, 
genially.  "  It's  you  and  not  your  boots  that  we're 
glad  to  see.  Come  up  to  my  den  and  we'll  have  a 
talk." 

The  old  man  followed,  carrying  his  boots,  much 
to  the  astonishment  and  dismay  of  Mrs.  Wade,  and 
presently  was  comfortably  settled  in  a  big  chair 
in  the  room  that  Wade  had  reserved  for  his  own  use, 
while  the  boots  rested  on  a  table.  While  this  was 
distressing  to  Wade,  it  happened  to  be,  in  this  in- 
stance, a  minor  detail  of  the  game  of  politics  —  and 
he  is  a  short-sighted  politician  who  sees  only  the 
things  that  have  a  direct  bearing  on  the  game.  The 
theoretical  politician  would  bring  all  to  his  standard 
of  life;  the  practical  makes  some  concessions  to 
theirs. 

"  Say,  Jack !  "  remarked  Craig,  when  he  was 
comfortably  settled,  "  what's  the  matter  with  them 
reform  fellers  ?  " 

"  Why  do  you  ask  ?  "  inquired  Wade. 

"  Well,  I  was  up  to  see  'em,"  explained  Craig. 


1 8  Slaves  of  Success 

"They  wrote,  askin'  me  to  come,  so  I  come;  but 
it  looks  like  they  think  their  brand's  the  only  thing 
that  makes  a  feller  good.  The  way  they  talked 
you'd  think  there  wasn't  any  virtue  anywhere,  only 
what's  got  their  stamp  on  it.  Why,  they  pretty  near 
had  me  wild  —  not  owin'  to  what  they  said  so  much 
as  the  way  they  said  it.  Who  made  them  the  boss 
of  me,  anyhow?  Just  'cause  they're  leanin'  away 
from  evil  so  hard  that  they're  fallin'  over  back- 
wards, ain't  no  sign  that  they're  the  only  good 
people  there  is.  They  aggravate  me,  that's  what 
they  do.  They  act  like  I  was  a  poor  sufFrin'  sinner, 
that  ought  to  give  thanks  for  a  chance  to  git  in  the 
glory  of  their  smiles." 

"  Did  you  sign  their  pledge?  "  asked  Wade,  quite 
casually. 

"  Sign  nothin' !  "  exclaimed  Craig.  "  They  ain't 
my  kind;  they're  'way  off  somewheres,  an'  I  don't 
seem  to  git  close  to  'em.  Looked  like  they  had 
an  idee  they  was  so  big  an'  good  an'  wise  that  folks 
ought  to  do  what  they  said  jest  'cause  they  said  it. 
A  feller  can  see  that  they're  sort  of  lookin'  down  on 
him,  even  when  they  talk  nice;  they  ain't  sociable." 

"  Oh,  they  are  not  so  bad,"  said  Wade,  magnani- 
mously. 

"  Ain't  they  ag'in  you  ?  "  asked  Craig. 


The  Necessary  Vote  19 

"  They  have  opposed  me  in  some  ways,"  ex- 
plained Wade,  "  but  they  mean  well." 

"  By  gum,  Jack !  folks  has  lied  about  you," 
asserted  Craig,  admiringly.  "  I  was  lookin'  to 
have  you  tell  me  those  fellers  was  the  meanest 
skunks  livin',  like  Higbie  did." 

"  Have  you  seen  Higbie?  " 

"  Yep.  Went  to  the  headquarters  where  he  hangs 
out,  an'  when  I  told  him  how  these  reform  folks 
looked  to  me,  he  couldn't  talk  mean  enough  —  said 
they  was  all  lookin'  out  for  the  best  of  it,  an'  was 
reg'lar  hypocrites." 

"  That's  not  so,"  said  Wade,  promptly.  "  They're 
doing  the  best  they  know  how,  according  to  their 
ideas,  but  they're  narrow-minded,  and  they  can't 
get  down  to  the  level  of  the  people." 

"  Darn  me  if  you  ain't  better'n  all  of  'em,  Jack !  " 
cried  the  old  man.  "  You're  the  only  one  that's 
talked  anyways  decent  about  the  others.  Why, 
they  said  you  was  workin'  to  be,  or  to  own,  a 
United  States  Senator,  an'  didn't  give  a  hang  what 
happened  s'long  as  you  could  run  the  *  machine ' 
while  you  was  doin'  that." 

"  That  only  shows  their  egotism  and  narrow- 
mindedness,"  remarked  Wade,  carelessly,  although 
the  statement  was  dangerously  near  the  truth. 


2O  Slaves  of  Success 

"  An'  they  seemed  to  think  all  I  wanted  was 
licker  an'  se-gars  an'  some  fun,"  Craig  went  on,  with 
some  indignation.  "  Kept  tellin'  me  to  drop  in 
whenever  I  wanted  an'  help  myself,  an'  I  heard 
Higbie  say  to  '  take  that  old  billy-goat  down  an' 
make  him  think  he  was  livin'  high  by  openin'  a  bottle 
of  champagne.'  Carroll  talked  nice,  but  he  was 
always  showin'  me  how  I  could  git  good  things 
on  the  committees  by  bein'  with  the  party.  '  We 
take  care  of  our  people,'  he  said.  I  tell  you,  Jack, 
it  looked  like  they  thought  I  was  jest  graftin',  an' 
I  could  see  some  of  'em  was  laughin'  at  me,  too. 
They  ain't  my  kind,  Jack;  they  got  too  much  idee 
of  everybody  watchin'  to  gain  somethin'  for  him- 
self; I  wouldn't  trust  'em.  Fact  is,  I  heard  when  I 
was  leavin'  home  that  they  was  dickerin'  with  the 
Democrats." 

"  It's  possible,"  admitted  Wade,  non-committally, 
"  but  I  would  hesitate  to  believe  it  without  some 
evidence." 

"  Jack,  you're  white,"  asserted  the  old  man, 
impulsively  leaning  forward  to  take  his  hand,  "  an' 
you're  the  only  white  man  I've  seen  in  Chicago. 
All  the  rest  of  'em  is  doin'  dirt  an'  talkin'  dirt  one 
way  or  another." 

Wade,  knowing  his  man,  had  got  the  grip  on  him 


The  Necessary  Vote  21 

that  others  had  failed  to  get,  and  that  is  the  secret  of 
successful  practical  politics.  Some  men  know  how 
to  do  it  one  way  and  some  know  how  to  do  it  an- 
other, but  the  true  politician  has  no  hard  and  fast 
rule.  He  gauges  his  mian,  and  acts  accordingly. 
For  the  first  time,  Craig  felt  that  he  had  a  gener- 
ous political  friend;  all  others  sought  to  be  his 
political  masters,  either  by  purchase  or  by  right  of 
birth  and  commercial  standing. 

Wade  saw  his  advantage,  and  made  the  most  of 
it.  He  insisted  that  the  old  man  should  remain  two 
or  three  days;  he  introduced  him  to  his  wife  and 
children,  who  gave  him  cordial  greeting,  and 
treated  him  as  a  welcome  friend;  he  invited  a  few 
friends  in  to  dinner,  expressly  stipulating  that  there 
should  be  no  dress  suits,  and  the  friends  were  diplo- 
matic and  clever.  One  among  them  was  a  business 
man  of  some  prominence,  and  he  reciprocated  by 
giving  a  stag  dinner  at  his  club.  How  Wade  ar- 
ranged for  this,  it  is  unnecessary  to  state;  let  it  be 
sufficient  to  say  that  the  man  was  an  intimate  friend 
who  would  do  much  for  Wade,  and  who  rather 
enjoyed  the  old  man's  breezy  comment  and  rustic 
simplicity,  anyway. 

"  But  they'll  all  be  wearin'  spike-tails  there,"  pro- 
tested Craig.  "  Don't  believe  I  better  go." 


22  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Nonsense,"  returned  Wade,  "  I  won't  wear  one, 
so  there'll  be  two  of  us,  anyway." 

That  dinner  was  worth  more  than  weeks  of 
argument  and  explanation.  There  were  men  there 
whose  names  Craig  had  seen  in  the  papers,  and  they 
were  not  politicians,  so  he  felt  reasonably  sure  that 
friendship  and  not  politics  was  at  the  bottom  of  it. 
There  was  a  freshness  and  sincerity  about  him 
that  made  them  like  him,  too,  and  he  was  flattered 
to  find  himself  among  such  men.  Here  were  suc- 
cessful men,  big  men,  and  he  was  one  of  them;  he 
was  seeing  something  of  real  city  life  —  not  the 
features  that  are  provided  for  every  stranger  who 
has  the  price,  but  the  real  thing.  He  forgot  about 
his  clothes,  and  talked  freely.  It  was  an  experience 
that  he  could  and  would  treasure. 

And  all  this  was  part  of  the  game  of  politics,  as 
played  by  an  astute  man.  Carroll  would  have  done 
as  much,  if  he  had  had  the  wisdom;  but  the  re- 
formers would  have  thought  it  more  than  should 
be  expected  of  them.  With  them,  politics  is  too 
often  a  thing  apart,  to  be  taken  up  during  the  spare 
time  that  they  can  give  to  it,  and  then  put  aside: 
they  would  not  take  it  into  their  business  or  their 
homes.  With  the  practical  politicians  it  is  of  first 
importance  everywhere,  and  at  all  times.  And 


The  Necessary  Vote  23 

somehow  the  practical  politicians  seem  to  have  the 
best  of  it  when  the  test  comes. 

Craig  returned  home,  singing  the  praises  of 
Wade.  There  was  nothing  of  envy  in  the  old  man's 
heart;  he  was  glad  to  see  a  man  from  his  district 
do  so  well  in  the  city  —  this  was  local  pride  —  and 
he  was  glad  to  find  him  so  good  a  man,  and  so 
companionable  and  democratic  in  his  ways. 

"  He  ain't  swelled  up  a  bit,"  he  said.  "  He's  jest 
as  glad  to  see  his  old  friends  as  he  ever  was,  an'  it 
ain't  politics,  either.  It's  friendship;  that's  what 
it  is.  We  talked  politics  in  a  friendly  way,  but  that's 
all,  an'  there  wasn't  nothin'  but  politics  to  the  other 
fellers;  they  jest  wanted  to  'fix'  you  one  way  or 
another,  an'  then  have  you  mosey  along  —  nothin' 
real,  you  know.  I  tell  you,  folks  has  lied  about 
Jack  Wade." 

Craig  learned,  too,  that  his  election,  which  fol- 
lowed later,  was  partly  due  to  Wade's  efforts  — 
Wade  saw  to  it  that  he  should  learn  this  in  a  round- 
about way  —  and  that  there  had  been  treachery  in 
other  quarters.  He  verified,  sufficiently  for  his  pur- 
pose, the  story  that  he  had  heard  before  leaving  for 
Chicago.  After  that  he  was  Wade's  man. 

Carroll  knew  this,  and  he  redoubled  his  efforts 
in  other  quarters,  but  so  did  Wade.  It  was  an  out- 


24  Slaves  of  Success 

and-out  fight  for  control  of  the  party  machinery 
now;  one  or  the  other  would  have  to  rule,  and 
the  weaker  would  have  to  make  the  best  terms  he 
could  with  the  victor  when  the  test  came.  After 
all,  according  to  Carroll,  Craig  was  only  one  man, 
but  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  Wade  knew  how 
to  make  the  most  of  the  man. 

Thus  matters  stood  when  the  scene  was  trans- 
ferred to  Springfield  just  previous  to  the  opening 
of  the  session.  Wade  had  put  forward  Henry 
Wellington  as  a  candidate  for  Speaker,  and  Craig 
had  accepted  him  without  question. 

"  Perhaps  he  isn't  the  very  best  man,"  Wade  ex- 
plained, "  but  he  is  the  most  available  one  for  our 
purpose.  He's  certainly  better  than  Mackin,  who 
would  be  the  tool  of  Carroll  and  Higbie,  and 
would  make  up  the  committees  in  accordance  with 
the  wishes  of  the  boodlers.  It's  a  very  simple  thing 
for  the  Speaker  to  make  graft  easy  or  difficult  — 
a  little  juggling  with  one  or  two  committees  will 
do  it.  I  know  how  to  prevent  this,  and  some  of  the 
independents  and  country  members  ought  to  be 
willing  to  help  me.  Talk  it  up  a  little,  Azro.  It's 
the  chance  of  a  lifetime  to  beat  the  '  machine.' ' 

Craig  did  talk  it  up  a  little  in  his  blunt  way,  and 
his  talk  was  reasonably  effective.  There  is  always 


The  Necessary  Vote  25 

an  undercurrent  of  opposition  to  the  "  machine," 
especially  among  the  country  members,  but  it  is 
too  often  weak  and  vacillating.  Men  fear  that  open 
opposition  will  destroy  their  usefulness  to  their 
districts,  and  many  of  them  fear  to  be  called  traitors 
to  the  party  if  they  interfere  with  what  seem  to  be 
the  party  plans.  But  here  was  a  chance  to  win. 
True,  it  was  only  a  split  in  the  "  machine,"  but 
why  not  make  the  most  of  it?  Why  not  give 
their  strength  to  the  faction  that  was  the  least 
objectionable,  if  only  to  overthrow  the  other? 

Thus  Craig  argued,  and  Craig  was  known  to  be 
as  fierce  an  anti-"  machine  "  man  as  any  of  them. 
Thus,  also,  Wade  argued  with  the  leaders  of  the 
reform  element.  It  was  their  chance,  he  said,  to 
accomplish  something  —  not  so  much  as  they  might 
wish,  perhaps,  but  still  enough  to  materially  im- 
prove conditions.  They  were  not  strong  enough 
to  force  the  selection  of  a  man  of  their  choice  on 
either  party,  and  when  the  vote  came  their  men 
would  divide  on  party  lines.  The  Speakership  was 
a  party  question,  with  which  the  pledges  they  held 
had  nothing  to  do,  but  they  could  exert  considerable 
influence.  Their  aim  was  honest  legislation,  aside 
from  purely  political  matters,  and  here  was  the 
opportunity  to  lay  an  honest  foundation  that  would 


26  Slaves  of  Success 

be  of  incalculable  value  later,  for  the  mere  knowl- 
edge that  they  favoured  the  defeat  of  Mackin 
would  turn  some  Republican  votes  to  Wellington. 

"  Give  me  an  interview  for  publication  at  the 
proper  time,"  Wade  said  to  the  secretary  of  the 
organization,  "  You  may  carefully  explain  that 
you  are  speaking  personally,  and  not  in  your  official 
capacity,  that  the  pledges  exacted  have  nothing  to 
do  with  purely  party  questions,  but  that  it  seems  to 
you,  as  an  individual,  a  grievous  mistake  to  give 
control  of  the  House  to  the  spoilsmen.  That's  all 
I  ask,  and  you  know  how  important  it  is  to  you 
that  Carroll  shall  not  rule. 

The  secretary  knew  that  Wade  was  a  politician, 
but  not  a  boodler.  There  could  be  no  doubt  that 
he  had  his  own  ends  to  serve,  but  he  was  infinitely 
preferable  to  Carroll;  so,  after  some  hesitation,  he 
agreed  to  the  plan. 

Still,  the  battle  was  far  from  won.  Neither  side 
could  be  sure  of  a  clear  majority  in  a  party  caucus, 
but  Wade  knew  that  Carroll's  game  was  blocked, 
and  he  decided  that  the  time  had  come  to  make  the 
really  important  move.  He  sought  Carroll,  to  put 
the  case  to  him  bluntly. 

"  Your  man  can't  win  in  a  thousand  years,"  he 
said.  "  There  is  no  possible  combination  of  cir- 


The  Necessary  Vote  27 

cumstances  that  can  give  him  the  full  Republican 
vote.  The  hayseed  contingent,  that  my  friend  Craig 
has  rounded  up,  wouldn't  vote  for  Mackin  if  he 
was  the  last  man  on  earth,  but  you  can  deliver  your 
votes  to  Wellington.  I  can  hold  mine,  but  I  can't 
deliver  them." 

"  A  deuce  of  a  nice  job  you've  made  of  it,  haven't 
you  ?  "  growled  Carroll. 

"  Just  cut  that  out,"  retorted  Wade,  sharply. 
"  You  tried  to  '  do '  me  and  I  had  to  protect  my- 
self. I've  done  it,  I  guess.  At  any  rate,  I've  got 
the  opposition  all  under  one  banner,  and  they'll  fight 
Mackin  to  the  last  ditch.  Some  of  them  won't 
even  be  bound  by  caucus  rule.  I've  shown  them  a 
chance  to  win,  and  they're  bitter.  If  it  comes  to  a 
fight,  they'll  force  a  compromise  that  won't  do  you 
a  bit  of  good.  And  you're  weaker  than  you  think 
you  are.  Look  here !  "  Wade  pulled  a  carbon  copy 
of  the  interview  he  had  secured  from  his  pocket,  and 
handed  it  to  Carroll.  "  Will  the  publication  of  that 
help  you  to  organize  the  House?"  he  asked. 
"  You're  having  trouble  holding  some  men  in  line 
now.  They  don't  like  you,  they  don't  like  what 
you  stand  for,  but  in  a  Speakership  fight  they  want 
to  be  with  the  party.  All  they  want  is  an  excuse 
to  break  away  —  just  an  intimation  that  you're  not 


28  Slaves  of  Success 

so  much  of  the  party  as  you  claim  to  be.  I  tell 
you,  Carroll,  you're  up  against  a  stone  wall,  and  I 
built  the  wall." 

"  But  I  can  beat  you !  "  exclaimed  Carroll.  "If 
I  have  to  turn  down  Mackin,  I  can  swing  to  a  mian 
who  will  suit  your  highly  moral  bunch  a  whole 
lot  better  than  Wellington  does." 

"  But  you  won't,"  said  Wade,  with  an  unpleasant 
smile.  "  You  won't,  because  you  couldn't  make  the 
terms  that  you  can  with  me.  You  won't,  because 
such  a  man  wouldn't  let  you  control  a  single  impor- 
tant committee,  and  Wellington  will.  You  won't, 
because  I  need  you,  and  the  reformers  and  hayseeds 
don't.  If  I  need  you,  I've  got  to  look  out  for  you  a 
little." 

"What  are  you  after?"  asked  Carroll,  sus- 
piciously. 

"  Nothing  much  this  session,  but,"  meaningly, 
"  at  the  next  we  elect  a  United  States  Senator. 
The  wise  man  looks  ahead,  and  control  now  can 
be  used  to  make  greater  strength  then,  especially  if 
a  fellow  has  a  check  on  the  wise  boys  who  are 
avaricious.  I  am  looking  for  power,  Carroll ;  that's 
all.  If  it  has  to  be  bought,  I  know  how  to  buy  it. 
You  can  name  the  two  best  committees  —  any  two 
that  you  may  select,  barring  only  those  that  I  need 


The  Necessary  Vote  29 

for  political  purposes.  I'll  concede  that  much, 
Carroll,  but  no  more.  You  see,  I  can't  trust  you 
—  I  need  you,  but  I've  got  to  have  a  check  on  you 
to  hold  you  in  line.  I  may  decide  to  go  to  the  Senate 
myself." 

Carroll  scowled,  but  he  knew  that  Wade  had 
him  in  a  corner.  His  man  was  already  beaten, 
apparently.  By  making  a  fight  he  might  drag  Wade 
down  to  defeat  with  him  and  force  the  selection  of 
a  man  that  neither  could  control,  but  he  would 
gain  nothing,  while  there  would  be  excellent  "  com- 
mercial "  opportunities  in  the  control  of  two  strong 
committees,  especially  when  he  could  rely  on  certain 
Democrats  in  all  but  strictly  party  questions.  Still, 
he  was  not  prepared  to  surrender  without  making 
one  last  desperate  effort,  so  he  merely  agreed  to 
consider  the  matter. 

"  If  I  could  only  win  that  hayseed,"  he  muttered, 
"  I  could  break  him  yet.  Confound  it !  he's  as  much 
the  '  machine '  as  I  am.  Why  can't  the  yahoo  be 
made  to  see  it?  If  he  broke  away,  it  would  split 
that  little  bunch  of  country  members,  and  the  whole 
thing  would  go  to  pieces." 

But  the  yahoo  was  blind  and  deaf.  Three  differ- 
ent men,  Carroll  himself  being  the  last,  tried  to 
show  him  that  he  was  being  used  for  "  machine  " 


30  Slaves  of  Success 

purposes,  that  he  was  aiding  the  worst  "  machine  " 
ever  known  in  the  State  —  a  "  machine  "  that  was 
for  a  man  and  not  for  a  party.  Craig  would  not 
argue  the  question;  he  simply  made  a  statement 
in  his  blunt  way. 

"  Wade's  my  friend,"  he  said,  simply.  "  You  all 
been  clever  to  my  vote,  but  he  was  clever  to  me. 
Them  reformers  took  me  by  the  nose  an'  tried  to 
lead  me,  but  he  took  me  by  the  arm  an'  it  was  jest 
man  an'  man  goin'  together.  Why,  he  left  off  his 
spiketail  coat  at  a  swell  dinner  so's  to  be  with  me, 
while  you  was  tryin'  to  sell  me  out  an'  put  in  a  Dem- 
ocrat. He's  my  friend,  I  tell  you  —  wy  friend,  not 
my  vote's  friend,  an'  I  know  he's  all  right." 

Then  Carroll  surrendered.  "  It's  all  up,"  he  told 
Higbie.  "  Pass  the  word  to  Mackin  that  he's  got  to 
draw  out  at  the  last  minute,  but  that  he's  fixed  for 
a  committee  chairmanship.  Wellington  is  to  be 
Speaker.  That  hayseed  —  just  one  vote  —  has  done 
the  business." 

Something  of  this  was  rumoured  in  other  circles, 
and  many  people,  knowing  nothing  of  the  finer 
points  of  practical  politics,  wondered  and  speculated. 

"  Isn't  it  marvellous,"  they  said,  "  the  way  Wade 
gets  hold  of  people  ?  " 


II. 

THE   REFORMER   REFORMED 

THERE  could  be  no  doubt  that  political  reforma- 
tion was  needed  in  many  quarters,  but  it  took  some 
time  to  convince  Leroy  N.  Marshall,  of  L.  N.  Mar- 
shall &  Co.,  that  he  was  personally  interested  in 
securing  it.  Mr.  Marshall  was  very  much  of  a 
business  man.  In  a  Presidential  campaign  he 
might  sit  on  the  platform  with  the  speakers,  but 
in  any  campaign  of  less  importance  he  had  time 
only  to  be  interviewed  occasionally.  True,  these 
interviews  had  the  right  ring  to  them,  and  really 
ought  to  have  made  the  spoilsmen  squirm,  but 
somehow  they  seemed  to  be  forgotten  the  day  after 
they  were  published.  Once  he  wrote  a  letter  on  the 
"  Duties  of  Citizenship  "  that  was  a  masterly  pre- 
sentation of  the  facts  and  a  bitter  arraignment  of  the 
spoils  methods.  It  was  published  in  all  the  papers, 
and  created  a  mild  sensation,  but  when  the  smoke 
cleared  away  Mr.  Marshall  was  discovered  so  busy 
at  his  desk  that  he  had  really  forgotten  all  about 

3» 


32  Slaves  of  Success 

it.  And  the  spoilsmen  were  quite  as  busy  in  their 
peculiar  way.  That  he  contributed  regularly  to  the 
expense  funds  of  two  reform  organizations  did  not 
in  the  least  worry  the  practical  politicians,  so  long 
as  he  did  nothing  more. 

But  one  day  Leroy  N.  Marshall  waked  up  —  or 
perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  say  that  he  was 
awakened  —  and  it  naturally  happened  at  a  most 
inopportune  time.  He  became  interested  in  a 
county  election.  Others  besides  county  officials  were 
to  be  chosen,  but  it  seemed  to  him  that  the  country 
was  what  most  needed  saving  at  that  particular 
moment.  This  was  exceptionally  annoying,  because 
he  might  have  dabbled  in  other  branches  of  politics 
without  doing  any  particular  harm.  But  it  so 
happened  that  Ben  Carroll  and  John  Wade  had 
unusual  need  of  the  county  patronage  at  that  time, 
and  Ben  Carroll  and  John  Wade  always  pulled 
together  when  they  were  afraid  to  pull  apart.  They 
always  wanted  the  county  patronage,  too,  but  they 
wanted  it  more  than  ever  now,  for  certain  plans 
relating  to  the  Legislature  were  involved  in  it. 
A  man  who  knows  how  can  do  much  with  even  a 
small  slice  of  the  county  patronage.  It  may  not  be 
as  valuable  as  it  was  before  the  days  of  civil 
service,  but  it  gives  one  a  grip  on  the  party  machin- 


The   Reformer  Reformed  33 

ery  and  —  well,  it  is  distinctly  worth  having.  A 
man  may  know  where  there  is  a  picket  loose  in  the 
civil  service  fence,  or  he  may  control  some  of  the 
personal  appointments  of  the  men  he  puts  on  the 
ticket,  or  he  may  merely  want  the  political  influence 
of  an  office  and  its  incumbent.  His  ambitions  and 
his  direct  personal  interests  may  lie  beyond  the 
county,  and  it  may  still  be  of  prime  importance  that 
he  shall  have  some  of  his  own  men  in  the  county 
offices,  if  only  to  enable  him  to  "  take  care  of  his 
friends  "  or  to  make  certain  essential  "  deals."  So 
Carroll  and  Wade  would  always  want  the  county, 
but  now  they  had  to  have  it. 

And  Leroy  N.  Marshall  showed  a  disposition  to 
fight  them  —  Marshall,  the  merchant,  the  theoreti- 
cal reformer,  the  self-satisfied  talker,  the  newspaper 
prominent  citizen,  the  man  who  pointed  to  civic 
duty  and  then  forgot  about  it.  The  politicians 
thought  there  must  be  some  mistake  and  were  dis- 
posed to  treat  the  matter  lightly. 

"  Probably  a  dull  season  in  business,"  one  of 
them  remarked,  "  and  he  wants  something  to  occupy 
his  mind  for  a  few  days." 

But  Marshall  was  very  much  in  earnest.  He 
had  seen  the  error  of  his  ways.  In  conversation 
with  Paul  Stafford  and  others  at  the  club,  he  had 


34  Slaves  of  Success 

ventured  to  preach  a  little  on  the  duties  of  citizen- 
ship, advancing  many  of  the  excellent  precepts  that 
he  had  previously  incorporated  in  his  letter  on  the 
same  subject.  There  could  be  no  doubt  that  he 
knew  just  what  a  good  citizen  should  do  to  secure 
the  best  results  politically. 

"Why  don't  you  do  that  yourself?"  asked 
Stafford.  "  Your  advice  is  splendid,  but  you  don't 
follow  it.  When  you're  through  talking  you  go 
back  to  your  desk,  leaving  the  politicians  to  run 
things,  and  yet  you  yourself  say  that  nothing  can 
be  accomplished  that  way." 

"  But  my  business,"  urged  Marshall. 

"  Of  course,"  laughed  Stafford.  "  That's  the  old 
story.  Some  other  fellow  can  neglect  his  business 
to  improve  political  conditions  for  us  all,  but  you 
can't." 

"  Will  you? "  asked  Marshall,  turning  on  Staf- 
ford. 

"  I'll  do  as  much  as  you  will,"  was  the  reply.  "  I 
haven't  done  as  much  preaching  as  you  have,  and  I 
don't  pretend  to  be  as  well  posted  on  the  subject, 
but  I'll  follow  as  long  as  you'll  lead.  And  you 
couldn't  have  a  better  chance,  for  the  '  machine ' 
wants  its  own  men  on  the  ticket  this  fall." 

"I'll  think  about  it,"  said  Marshall. 


The  Reformer  Reformed  35 

He  did  think  about  it,  and  he  spoke  about  it  to 
others.  All  promised  their  tacit  support  to  any 
movement  to  remedy  matters,  but  none  cared  to 
give  much  personal  time  to  it.  This  in  itself  had  the 
effect  of  stirring  his  fighting  blood.  Their  very 
lukewarmness,  when  it  came  to  a  question  of 
individual  effort,  aroused  him,  even  though  he  had 
been  guilty  of  the  same  offence,  and  he  "  read  the 
riot  act "  to  some  of  them. 

"  If  I  go  into  this,"  he  said,  "  you've  got  to  help, 
and  I'm  going  in.  You're  as  tired  of  *  machine ' 
rule  as  I  am;  you  know  as  well  as  I  do  what  it 
means;  you  have  said  as  harsh  things  as  I  have 
of  the  men  who  are  slated  for  office,  and  you've  got 
to  get  your  coats  off  and  work.  I  tell  you,  I'll  have 
you  on  the  platform  and  at  the  primaries,  and  you 
might  as  well  make  up  your  mind  to  it." 

That  was  Marshall!  If  the  men  with  whom  he 
talked  had  expressed  a  readiness  to  work,  he  would 
have  passed  the  leadership  over  to  some  one  else, 
if  he  could  have  done  so  gracefully.  As  it  was,  he 
would  really  lead  himself;  he  would  make  these 
men  act  the  part  of  good  citizens.  Moreover,  he 
would  hold  Stafford  to  his  promise.  It  was  Staf- 
ford's taunt  that  had  awakened  him  and  put  him 
in  a  position  where  he  had  to  do  something  to  show 


36  Slaves  of  Success 

his  sincerity,  and  Stafford  would  have  to  join  him. 
He  had  hoped  to  escape  leadership  after  talking  the 
matter  up,  but  he  would  not  shirk  it.  The  stand 
taken  by  the  others  only  made  him  the  more  ag- 
gressive. 

"  Stafford,"  he  said,  "  you  might  as  well  get  ready 
to  hustle.  I  didn't  want  to  go  into  this  thing  — 
I  really  can't  spare  the  time  —  but  I've  got  to  do 
it.  To  speak  plainly,  it  makes  me  hot  to  see  how 
easy-going  our  good  citizens  are.  Every  man  I've 
talked  to  has  added  to  my  disgust  and  made  me  the 
more  determined  to  stir  things  up.  I'm  going  to 
make  them  work  for  good  government ;  I  can  do  it 
with  your  help." 

"  I'm  with  you,"  said  Stafford,  briefly.  "  What's 
the  plan?" 

"  Well,  the  usual  mistake  of  reformers  is  that 
they  get  into  the  field  too  late  —  after  the  '  machine  ' 
has  things  pretty  well  arranged.  We'll  begin  early. 
Another  common  mistake  is  that  they  try  to  do 
too  much.  We'll  avoid  that.  Instead  of  trying  to 
make  the  whole  ticket  conform  to  our  ideas,  we'll 
confine  ourselves  to  one  or  two  offices  —  say  County 
Treasurer  and  Sheriff.  That's  where  the  strength 
of  the  '  machine  '  lies ;  there's  where  the  patronage 
is.  We  already  know  that  Wade  and  Carroll  want 


The  Reformer  Reformed  37 

to  put  Henry  Warren  in  as  County  Treasurer,  and 
we  know  why.  He's  their  man  —  honest  enough, 
but  their  man.  They'll  designate  the  banks  that  are 
to  hold  the  county  funds,  and  there's  an  element  of 
influence  and  strength  in  that.  For  Sheriff  they 
want  Herman  Sieling,  who  is  also  their  man.  The 
patronage  of  that  office  is  a  big  thing.  If  they  get 
it,  they  can  have  things  pretty  much  their  own  way ; 
if  they  don't  get  it,  we  will  have  wrested  much  of 
their  power  from  them  and  will  be  in  a  position  to 
do  more  at  the  next  election.  We  must  fight 
Warren  and  Sieling;  we  must  put  forward  two 
good  men,  stir  up  public  sentiment,  make  a  hot 
campaign  at  the  primaries  and  a  hotter  one  on  the 
floor  of  the  convention.  The  Republican  party  of 
this  city,  county,  and  State,  is  tired  of  boss  rule,  and 
an  aggressive  fight  will  bring  to  our  support  the  men 
who  usually  do  little  or  nothing,  but  can  do  a  great 
deal.  I'll  appoint  a  committee  of  men  whose  names 
will  carry  weight,  and  I'll  make  them  serve  on  it 
—  a  committee  small  enough  not  to  be  unwieldy, 
but  big  enough  to  do  the  work.  You  will  be  secre- 
tary of  that  committee.  Likewise,  you  will  take 
hold  of  such  of  the  members  as  are  your  personal 
friends  and  see  that  they  don't  shirk  the  work." 
Carroll,  Wade,  and  the  other  "  machine  "  leaders 


38  Slaves  of  Success 

heard  vague  rumours  of  this  movement,  but  gave 
them  little  attention  at  first. 

"It  will  die  out,"  they  said.  "There's  not 
enough  to  it." 

A  citizens'  meeting  was  called  and  there  were 
many  forceful  speeches,  but  still  they  were  not 
worried. 

"  A  little  relief  from  the  ennui  of  a  routine  busi- 
ness life,"  they  said.  "  Two  or  three  men  are 
doing  it  all,  anyway,  and  they'll  get  tired  in  a  day 
or  so." 

But  Marshall  was  not  a  man  to  get  tired.  He  had 
a  vast  amount  of  energy  wh.pn  he  was  once  roused 
to  action,  and  opposition  only  added  to  his  deter- 
mination. He  was  accustomed  to  success.  So  long 
as  it  was  another  man's  fight,  he  might  be  luke- 
warm, but  he  had  made  this  his  fight,  and  victory 
was  necessary  to  his  personal  pride.  He  gave  the 
campaign  the  same  earnest,  painstaking  attention 
that  he  ordinarily  gave  his  private  business;  he 
put  all  his  ability  and  all  his  influence  into  the  move- 
ment; he  laboured  as  earnestly  with  other  business 
men  as  he  would  to  put  through  an  important  busi- 
ness deal.  And  the  results  began  to  show. 

"I  tell  you,"  said  Tom  Higbie  to  Carroll, 
"you've  got  to  look  out  for  this  thing.  Marshall 


The  Reformer  Reformed  39 

doesn't  know  much  about  the  game,  but  he's  a 
worker  from  the  ground  up,  and  he's  got  the 
material  to  work  with  in  this  case.  There  is  a 
lot  of  unorganized  dissatisfaction  in  the  party  that 
only  needs  to  be  organized  to  be  dangerous.  Do 
you  know  what  he's  done?  " 

"What?"  asked  Carroll. 

"  Well,  he  has  arbitrarily  put  some  big  men  on 
his  committee,  and  he  is  making  them  work  —  men 
who  never  have  turned  a  hair  in  politics  before.  He 
has  read  the  riot  act  to  them  as  no  one  else  could, 
refused  to  accept  any  excuses,  and  insisted  upon 
having  a  share  of  their  time  for  active  work.  They 
are  reporting  at  his  meetings  like  so  many  school- 
boys who  are  afraid  to  play  truant." 

"Oh,  they'll  resent  his  dictation  after  a  little," 
returned  Carroll.  "  These  reformers  always  begin 
to  play  at  cross-purposes  in  time,  for  each  one  usu- 
ally has  his  own  ideas  as  to  methods  and  candidates. 
Marshall  will  try  to  put  up  some  particular  man 
and  they'll  split." 

"  Now,  see  here,  Carroll,"  retorted  Higbie, 
"  you're  taking  this  too  easy,  and  you're  going  to 
get  left.  Marshall  is  no  fool.  He  has  gathered 
in  some  men  who  know  politics,  and  who  would 
like  nothing  better  than  to  turn  us  down.  Don't 


4O  Slaves  of  Success 

forget  that.  In  one  of  his  speeches  he  said  :  '  When 
I  add  a  new;  department  to  my  business,  I  get  the 
services  of  some  experts  in  that  particular  line,  and 
so  do  you.  We're  adding  a  political  department 
now,  and  we've  got  to  leave  much  of  the  detail  to 
political  experts  that  we  can  trust.'  Now,  that's 
practical  business  and  practical  politics,  Carroll,  and 
it  means  trouble  for  us.  Another  thing  he  said 
was  that  he  did  not  wish  to  put  forward  any  par- 
ticular man  or  men,  but  wished  the  selection  made 
after  a  full  discussion  with  all  that  the  members 
of  the  committee  could  reach.  They're  reaching 
for  all  the  people  they  can  get;  they're  asking  for 
suggestions  and  advice;  they're  discussing  the  mat- 
ter generally  and  getting  others  to  discuss  it.  That's 
a  new  way  of  doing  things,  but  it's  a  good  way  — 
for  them.  When  people  talk  they  get  interested; 
when  they  feel  that  they  have  influence  that  counts 
for  something  they  get  more  deeply  interested,  and 
there  are  a  whole  lot  of  people  doing  some  think- 
ing in  this  matter  who  never  before  believed  they 
had  time  to  think  of  politics.  Don't  forget  that, 
Carroll.  He  is  an  aggressive  force  that  counts  — 
and  he  has  wisdom.  He  is  making  these  people  feel 
the  responsibility  of  selecting  candidates,  and  that 
means  that  he  is  giving  them  a  personal  interest 


The  Reformer  Reformed  41 

in  the  fight.  They're  beginning  to  feel  that  they're 
'it.'  I  tell  you,  we've  got  to  look  out  for  them, 
Carroll." 

Higbie  was  a  man  who  usually  acted  on  orders, 
leaving  Carroll  to  do  most  of  the  thinking,  and  the 
fact  that  he  spoke  out  plainly  now  was  evidence 
that  he  considered  the  situation  critical.  Carroll 
realized  this.  To  Higbie  had  been  assigned  the 
duty  of  following  this  feature  of  the  campaign, 
and  in  consequence  he  was  better  posted  on  it  than 
any  one  else.  Carroll  also  knew  that  the  conditions 
were  right  for  serious  trouble,  capable  and  ener- 
getic leadership  being  all  that  was  necessary  to 
crystallize  opposition  to  the  "  machine "  dictation. 
His  confidence  had  been  based  on  his  belief  that  this 
leadership  would  be  lacking,  but  this  report  indicated 
real  danger. 

"  I  tell  you,"  Higbie  added,  "  Marshall's  method 
is  something  new  in  politics,  but  he'll  get  those 
people  to  unite  on  some  strong  man  or  men,  and 
he'll  have  every  one  of  them  personally  interested. 
You've  got  to  reckon  with  a  man  of  force  and  in- 
fluence." 

"We'll  talk  it  over  with  Wade,"  said  Carroll. 

Wade  was  more  ingenious  and  resourceful  than 
either  of  the  other  two.  Carroll  was  a  man  of  brute 


42  Slaves  of  Success 

force,  Wade  of  strategy.  Carroll  could  deal  with 
the  rougher  element  of  politics,  but  it  took  Wade  to 
make  the  fine  points.  Carroll  understood  men  of 
his  own.  class,  and  could  rule  them;  Wade  under- 
stood men  of  all  classes,  and  knew  how  to  reach 
them.  In  a  word,  Carroll  was  a  spoilsman,  Wade  a 
politician. 

"  The  whole  thing,"  said  Wade,  "  hinges  on  Mar- 
shall. Without  him,  the  movement  would  go  to 
pieces.  He  is  the  cohesive  force.  I  happen  to 
know  that  old  Hobbins  refused  to  do  more  than 
allow  the  use  of  his  name  until  Marshall  got  after 
him.  Then  he  suddenly  lost  his  indifference,  agreed 
to  serve  on  the  committee,  speak  at  the  big  meeting 
and  stir  up  his  ward,  and  he's  got  a  whole  lot  of 
people  in  action  now.  If  Marshall  did  that  with 
Hobbins,  it's  a  dead  certainty  he  did  it  with  most 
of  the  others;  it's  his  personality  that  is  making 
the  trouble,  and  we've  got  to  discourage  him." 

"How?"  asked  Carroll. 

Wade  gave  a  few  minutes  to  thought. 

"  Isn't  Paul  Stafford's  nephew  on  the  County 
Hospital  staff  ?  "  he  inquired  at  last.  "  It  seems  to 
me  I  recollect  his  getting  a  position  there." 

"  That's  right !  "  cried  Carroll,  jubilantly. 


The  Reformer   Reformed  43 

"  And  isn't  Mrs.  Stafford  interested  in  the  Train- 
ing School  for  Nurses  ?  "  asked  Wade. 

"  I  believe  she  is,"  replied  Carroll. 

"  And  haven't  you  any  influence  at  the  County 
Hospital?"  persisted  Wade. 

"That's  enough!"  exclaimed  Carroll.  "You 
have  a  memory  for  these  things,  Wade,  that  is 
simply  great,  but  I  don't  have  to  be  told  how  to 
play  the  game.  Stafford  is  Marshall's  right-hand 
man,  and  either  Stafford  or  his  nephew  will  have  to 
quit.  And  that  training-school  business  will  put 
Mrs.  Stafford  on  our  side.  Wade,  we'll  show  Mar- 
shall that  this  fight  is  just  beginning." 

Within  two  days  there  came  from  the  County 
Hospital  a  report  of  dissatisfaction  with  the  nurses 
furnished  by  the  training-school.  The  Warden  said 
the  school  interfered  with  discipline  and  tried  to 
run  the  hospital  as  an  adjunct  to  the  training-school. 
He  also  asserted  that  some  nurses  were  put  in  there 
who  did  not  know  enough  to  take  care  of  a  sick 
cat,  in  consequence  of  which  the  patient  suffered, 
and  the  county  was  practically  defrauded.  He  did 
not  see  why  a  public  institution  should  be  made  an 
experiment  station  for  inexperienced  girls  and 
women,  and  he  did  not  believe  the  public  fully 
understood  the  situation. 


44  Slaves  of  Success 

Commenting  on  this,  one  of  the  County  Commis- 
sioners said  the  Warden  was  quite  right,  that  the 
hospital  was  being  "  used  "  to  bolster  up  a  private 
school,  and  that  he  would  give  his  hearty  support  to 
any  movement  that  promised  to  put  an  end  to  such 
a  condition  of  affairs.  And  the  newspaper  that 
reported  these  things  also  called  attention  to  com- 
plaints that  had  been  made  by  one  or  two  patients. 
It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  no  hospital  escapes 
complaints  from  some  of  its  patients,  their  mental 
and  physical  condition  frequently  making  them 
most  unreasonable,  but  the  public  does  not  take  this 
into  consideration  at  such  a  time. 

Paul  Stafford  heard  from  his  wife  promptly,  for 
she  was  deeply  interested  in  the  training-school. 

"  We  are  giving  them  better  service  than  they 
ever  had  before,  at  less  expense,"  she  said,  "  but 
they  want  to  turn  us  out.  I  suppose  it's  politics." 

"  I  suppose  so,"  he  admitted. 

"  Can't  you  do  something  about  it?  "  she  asked. 

"What!"  he  exclaimed.  "Why,  if  I  showed 
any  interest  in  it,  they'd  turn  you  out  all  the  sooner." 

"  I  believe  that's  the  very  reason  they're  doing 
it  now,"  she  asserted.  "  I'm  going  to  find  out." 

Mrs.  Stafford  was  a  wioman  of  energy  and 
determination,  and  she  had  seen  something  of 


The  Reformer  Reformed  45 

politics  in  her  charitable  work.  Consequently,  she 
knew  enough  to  go  direct  to  headquarters. 

"  Mrs.  Stafford,"  said  the  President  of  the 
County  Board,  courteously,  "  the  politicians  are 
merely  human,  and  they  do  favours  for  their 
friends.  Your  husband  gives  his  business  to  the 
men  who  are  friendly  to  him,  and  the  politicians  do 
the  same.  Now  I  have  no  definite  knowledge  of 
the  motives  in  the  case,  but  I  am  able  to  draw  my 
own  conclusions,  and  I  know  there  are  some  power- 
ful men  who  are  very  bitter  toward  your  husband. 
Please  don't  think  I  am  speaking  for  them;  I  am 
merely  explaining  the  matter  to  you,  for  I  think 
you  are  engaged  in  a  grand  work,  and  I  would  like 
to  see  you  succeed.  But  the  County  Board  will 
decide,  and  I  am  only  one  member  of  that." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say,"  demanded  Mrs.  Stafford, 
angrily,  "  that  these  men  are  so  contemptible  that 
they  will  turn  out  the  nurses  because  the  husband 
of  one  woman  interested  in  the  training-school 
happens  to  be  opposed  to  them  politically?  " 

"  I  am  afraid  they  will,"  replied  the  President, 
"  although  your  statement  of  the  case  is  hardly 
fair.  It  is  the  vindictiveness  of  the  fight  that  is 
being  made  against  them  that  makes  them  anxious 
to  retaliate." 


46  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I  am  only  one  of  a  dozen  or  more  women  inter- 
ested in  the  training-school,"  she  urged. 

"  True,"  he  admitted,  "  but  your  husband's 
course  has  made  you  the  most  important  one  at  the 
present  moment.  I  have  nothing  to  do  with  the 
movement,  you  understand,  and  will  gladly  do  what 
I  can  to  retain  your  nurses,  but  I  think  I  know  what 
lies  back  of  it  all.  It  is  unfortunate  that  there  isn't 
more  disinterestedness  in  political  and  business  life, 
but  you  won't  find  it  in  either." 

"  I  suppose,"  she  said,  with  bitter  humour,  "  I 
ought  to  get  a  divorce." 

"  That  might  help  the  training-school  some,"  he 
laughed,  "  but  there  may  be  a  better  way." 

She  was  not  so  unsophisticated  that  she  did  not 
know  what  this  meant,  and  she  knew  also  that  the 
President  was  speaking  for  the  others,  in  spite  of  the 
assertion  to  the  contrary.  He  was  very  close  to 
the  men  whose  political  supremacy  was  threatened. 

"  I  don't  see,"  she  told  her  husband,  "  why  some 
one  else  can't  do  the  work  that  you  are  doing. 
Your  victory  will  be  dearly  bought  if  it  wrecks 
the  training-school." 

"  It's  damnable !  "  he  exclaimed,  angrily.  "  It's 
cowardly  to  strike  at  a  man  through  his  wife's  phil- 
anthropies !  " 


The  Reformer  Reformed  47 

"  But  that  doesn't  help  matters,"  she  said. 
"  Even  with  the  money  we  get  for  County  Hos- 
pital nursing  the  training-school  is  not  self-sup- 
porting; without  it  we  will  have  a  big  deficiency 
to  make  up  by  private  contributions.  I  doubt  if 
we  can  do  it.  In  any  event,  it  will  be  a  serious 
blow  to  the  school." 

Stafford  chafed  and  fretted,  but  he  could  not 
escape  the  conclusion;  the  "machine"  had  suffi- 
cient power  to  do  this,  and  there  could  be  no  doubt 
that  it  would  do  it.  The  public  mind  already  was 
being  put  in  a  condition  to  accept  the  change  by 
the  published  criticisms  and  complaints.  He  won- 
dered if  he  really  ought  not  to  take  a  less  prominent 
part  in  the  movement.  Might  he  not  be  doing  more 
harm  than  good?  In  this  mood  he  received  a  call 
from  his  nephew. 

"  Well,  you're  doing  a  fine  thing  for  me,  uncle," 
the  latter  announced.  "  Another  week  of  this  sort 
of  thing  and  I'll  be  out." 

"Have  they  been  threatening  you,  too?"  de- 
manded Stafford. 

"  Well,  not  exactly  threatening,"  was  the  reply, 
"  but  the  foundation  has  been  laid  for  my  discharge, 
and  Higbie  has  been  giving  me  a  nice  fatherly  talk. 
The  Warden  sent  for  me  first.  He  said  some  com- 


48  Slaves  of  Success 

plaints  against  me  had  been  filed  with  him  —  it's 
no  trick  at  all  to  get  complaints  against  any  one,  you 
know  —  and  he  advised  me  to  see  Higbie.  Well, 
Higbie  knew  of  the  complaints,  and  he  was  sure 
he  could  straighten  the  matter  out,  but  he  didn't 
see  why  he  should.  He  also  told  me  about  the 
training-school  trouble.  There  was  a  feeling,  he 
said,  that  you  ought  to  be  willing  to  do  as  much 
for  me  and  the  school  as  others  were  expected  to 
do,  and  that's  all  he  would  say.  But  any  one  can  see 
what  that  means." 

"  Yes,"  replied  Stafford,  thoughtfully,  "  any  one 
can  see  what  that  means." 

Stafford's  nephew  had  given  Stafford  a  good  deal 
of  trouble  and  had  cost  a  good  deal  of  money.  He 
was  not  a  youth  who  was  noted  for  either  his  ability 
or  his  stability,  and  it  was  not  until  he  got  the 
County  Hospital  position  that  his  uncle  had  been 
relieved  of  the  necessity  of  contributing  to  his 
support. 

Stafford  got  up  from  his  desk  and  walked  nerv- 
ously back  and  forth,  while  his  nephew  waited  and 
wondered.  There  was  no  reason  why  another 
coulcl  not  do  his  work  on  the  committee ;  there  were 
many  who  could  do  it  without  sacrificing  so  much. 
It  was  maddening  that  he  should  be  "  reached  "  in 


The  Reformer  Reformed  49 

this  way,  but  he  had  no  wish  to  have  his  nephew 
back  on  his  hands,  and  an  injury  to  the  training- 
school  would  be  a  public  and  a  domestic  calamity. 
It  was  doing  splendid  work,  and  in  its  success  his 
wife's  interest  was  centred.  He  was  angry,  but  he 
could  look  at  the  matter  dispassionately.  It  was 
unjust  and  cowardly  to  put  him  in  this  predicament, 
but  he  was  confronted  by  cold,  hard  facts. 

"  I  shall  not  attend  the  meeting  of  the  committee 
this  afternoon,"  he  told  his  nephew,  finally,  "  and 
I  shall  probably  resign  the  secretaryship  before  the 
end  of  the  week.  It  will  depend  upon  circum- 
stances." 

The  next  day  a  note  from  his  nephew  informed 
him  that  the  Warden  had  decided  to  pay  no  atten- 
tion to  the  charges  filed,  and  the  day  after  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  County  Board,  in  a  published  interview, 
predicted  that  the  training-school  nurses  would  be 
retained.  On  the  third  day  Stafford  mailed  his 
letter  of  resignation,  in  which  he  asserted  that  busi- 
ness obligations  made  it  impossible  for  him  to  give 
the  necessary  time  to  the  work. 

Marshall  was  startled  and  annoyed  by  this 
desertion,  but  it  did  not  have  the  effect  that  the 
"  machine  "  had  anticipated.  He  was  not  discour- 
aged; on  the  contrary,  he  became  more  combative 


50  Slaves  of  Success 

than  ever.  He  upbraided  Stafford,  recalling  his 
promise,  but  Stafford  remained  firm;,  and  the  effect 
of  his  resignation  was  serious.  Others  seemed  to 
lose  interest  and  courage.  What  was  the  use  of 
trying  when  defeat  was  practically  certain?  Why 
waste  valuable  time?  But  Marshall,  by  the  most 
strenuous  efforts,  overcame  this  pessimism.  He 
pointed  out  that  the  movement  was  already  well 
under  way,  that  public  sentiment  was  aroused  and 
was  gathering  force,  that  all  lacking  was  united 
and  energetic  action  by  the  members  of  the  com- 
mittee. He  neglected  his  business  shamefully,  but 
he  held  the  committee  together  and  soon  had  the 
members  working  with  greater  enthusiasm  than 
ever.  He  stirred  up  a  discussion  of  available  candi- 
dates in  the  newspapers,  thus  creating  more  wide- 
spread interest  and  gradually  making  the  opposition 
to  the  "  machine  "  an  aggressive  unit.  In  brief,  the 
thing  took  the  form  of  a  popular  uprising  in  the 
ranks  of  the  party;  it  was  sensational,  the  subject  of 
general  discussion  that  kept  men  alert,  and  the 
primaries  promised  startling  results.  Marshall's 
spirit  of  aggressiveness  on  the  one  hand  and  con- 
cession on  the  other  was  contagious;  he  did  not 
wish  to  rule  or  to  dictate;  he  sought  only  the 
strongest  men.  It  was  immaterial  to  him  who  was 


The  Reformer  Reformed  51 

County  Treasurer  or  who  was  Sheriff,  so  long  as 
they  were  honest  and  fiercely  anti-"  machine,"  and 
others  unconsciously  took  the  same  position.  In 
these  circumstances  it  was  a  foregone  conclusion 
that  they  would  go  into  the  convention  strong  and 
united.  Indeed,  a  discerning  politician  could  see 
that  they  were  already  "  getting  together  "  on  two 
strong  men,  and  that  they  were  daily  adding  to 
the  list  of  delegates  that  they  would  be  able  to  send 
to  the  convention.  There  was  no  longer  the  indif- 
ference that  allowed  the  "  machine  "  to  control  in 
districts  where  it  was  numerically  weak. 

"If  Marshall  sticks,"  announced  Wade,  after  a 
review  of  the  situation,  "  we  have  mighty  little 
chance  of  winning.  Marshall  is  the  keystone  of  this 
movement.  If  we  could  get  him  out  of  the  way, 
it  would  go  to  pieces." 

"  Suppose  he  should  happen  to  be  '  done  up '  by 
footpads,"  remarked  Higbie,  suggestively. 

Carroll  looked  at  Wade,  but  Wade  shook  his 
head.  Carroll's  idea  was  that  Higbie  ought  to  have 
looked  after  this  without  saying  anything  to  any 
one,  but  Wade  was  of  different  sort.  Carroll 
would  not  openly  sanction  slugging,  but  he  would 
gladly  profit  by  it;  Wade  was  temperamentally 


52  Slaves  of  Success 

opposed  to  anything  of  that  nature,  except  possibly 
as  a  last  resort. 

"  Unsatisfactory  and  dangerous,"  said  Wade. 
"  When  I  can't  win  without  slugging,  I'll  retire 
from  politics." 

Carroll  laughed  in  a  disagreeable  way. 

"  Sounds  well,"  he  said,  "  but  there  has  been 
slugging  that  has  helped  us  in  times  gone  by." 

Wade  scowled.  The  responsibility  for  anything 
of  that  sort  never  had  rested  with  him,  and  he  did 
not  like  to  have  it  brought  home  to  him  in  this  way. 
He  distinctly  disapproved  of  such  methods,  even 
when  he  accepted  the  fruits  of  them  and  forgave 
the  offenders.  The  exigencies  of  politics  made  it 
necessary  to  overlook  many  things. 

"  Sometimes,"  he  said,  "  we  have  to  meet  force 
with  force,  but  this  is  a  different  matter.  There 
would  be  more  than  a  suspicion  that  it  was  politics 
and  not  robbery,  even  if  the  man  was  not  caught. 
We've  got  to  eliminate  Marshall  in  some  other 
way." 

"How?"  asked  Carroll. 

"  Through  his  pocket,"  said  Wade. 

"  He  can't  be  bought,"  asserted  Carroll.  "  He's 
too  rich  for  that." 

"  I  have  discovered,"   said  Wade,  thoughtfully, 


The  Reformer  Reformed  53 

"  that  the  rich  man  is  the  one  who  is  most  suscepti- 
ble to  financial  influence  of  the  right  sort.  He 
can't  be  bought  —  at  least,  directly  —  but  he  is  vul- 
nerable. He  considers  it  his  first  duty  to  guard 
his  bank  account;  attack  that,  and  you  can  scare 
him  to  death.  He'll  spurn  an  offer  of  $100,000 
and  throw  a  fit  at  the  prospect  of  losing  $10,000 
worth  of  business.  Now,  Marshall  is  a  director 
of  the  Traders'  Trust  Company  bank,  where  the 
county  keeps  a  good  part  of  its  funds.  Do  you 
suppose  you  could  get  an  intimation  to  the  Presi- 
dent of  that  bank  that  those  funds  are  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  another  repository  ?  " 

"  That  won't  do  the  business,"  said  Carroll,  after 
a  moment  of  thought. 

"  It  has  been  published,"  continued  Wade,  "  that 
old  Hobbins  has  promised  to  contribute  $500  to  the 
reform  movement.  It  would  be  discouraging  if 
Hobbins  changed  his  mind.  Hobbins  is  furnishing 
coal  to  some  of  the  county  institutions,  and  a  slight 
change  in  the  specifications  would  put  him  out  of 
the  running  when  the  new  contracts  are  let." 

"  Risky  business  if  we  overdo  it,"  commented 
Carroll. 

"  Not  so  risky  as  slugging,"  returned  Wade. 

"Anything  more?"  asked  Carroll. 


54  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Marshall  himself  is  in  the  stone  business,"  said 
Wade.  "  He  expects  to  furnish  the  stone  for  the 
new  wing  to  the  Southern  penitentiary,  although 
his  bid  has  not  been  formally  accepted.  I  think 
his  partner,  Pendleton,  would  be  very  much  worried 
if  he  saw  this  job  slipping  away  from  him,  and  the 
State  administration  is  very  much  ours." 

"What  are  you  going  to  do?"  asked  Carroll. 
"  Do  you  expect  me  to  look  after  everything?  " 

"  You  know  how  to  do  these  things,  Carroll," 
replied  Wade,  "  and  you  have  the  men  to  use.  We 
are  working  together  for  our  common  good,  and 
I'll  do  my  share  by  sitting  right  here  until  Marshall 
comes  to  me.  I  want  him  to  come  here,  for  the  man 
who  is  in  his  own  office  has  an  advantage  over  the 
man  who  is  in  another  fellow's  office.  He  won't 
be  long  in  discovering  that  he  has  got  to  see  some- 
body, and  you  can  see  to  it  that  he  is  referred  to  me. 
As  it  is  my  plan,  and  I  am  posted  on  all  the  details, 
I  think  I  can  handle  him  a  little  better  than  you." 

"  Sure,"  replied  Carroll,  frankly.  "  You're  the 
man  for  that  job.  He's  not  my  kind,  and  I'd  prob- 
ably have  him  fighting  mad  in  two  minutes." 

Carroll  had  a  better  idea  of  his  own  diplomatic 
ability  than  the  facts  warranted,  but  he  was  wise 
enough  to  know  that  Wade  was  his  superior  in 


The  Reformer  Reformed  55 

handling  some  men.  So  he  was  quite  ready  to  act 
in  a  subordinate  capacity  in  this  instance.  Nor  was 
his  task  so  much  inferior  to  Wade's.  He  had  to 
lay  the  foundation  upon  which  Wade  would  build 
the  superstructure,  and  his  work  had  to  be  cautious 
and  effective.  He  had  to  bring  three  separate 
influences  to  bear  on  Marshall  without  appearing 
personally  in  the  matter  at  all.  But  he  did  it. 
Marshall  heard  from  the  bank  first. 

"  There  seems  to  be  some  trouble  over  these 
county  funds  that  concerns  you,"  the  President 
told  him.  "  I  don't  quite  understand  what  they 
want,  but  it  might  be  worth  while  for  you  to  see 
what's  wrong." 

Marshall  knew  what  was  wrong,  but  he  took  time 
for  reflection  before  deciding  on  his  course,  and 
during  this  time  he  received  word  that  Hobbins  had 
changed  his  mind  about  the  $500  contribution  to 
the  reform  fund. 

"  Discouraging !  "  he  muttered.  "  I  sacrifice  my 
own  interests  and  can't  even  get  support  from  the 
men  who  will  profit  most  by  my  work." 

Then  Pendleton  told  him  that  they  were  in  a  fair 
way  to  lose  the  Southern  penitentiary  stone  contract. 

"Why?"  asked  Marshall. 

"  You'll  have  to  find  that  out  for  yourself,"  re- 


56  Slaves  of  Success 

plied  Pendleton.  "  I  was  referred  to  Wade,  but 
I  can't  do  anything  with  him.  Perhaps  you  can. 
You're  in  politics  —  too  much  in  politics."  Pendle- 
ton paused,  to  see  how  Marshall  would  take  this, 
and  then  blurted  out :  "  Confound  it !  I  believe 
you've  just  about  lost  us  this  contract,  and  some 
others  may  follow.  I  never  did  believe  in  this 
political  business,  anyway.  It  takes  time  and  it 
makes  enemies.  There's  nothing  in  it  except  for 
the  thieves;  for  others  it  means  a  loss  —  a  real 
cash  loss,  as  in  this  case.  And  it's  my  loss  as  well 
as  yours." 

A  few  weeks  before  Marshall  would  have  re- 
sented this  hotly,  but  he  had  lost  some  of  his  bel- 
ligerency. Furthermore,  he  was  a  fair-minded  man, 
and,  from  a  business  point  of  view,  his  partner  had 
some  reason  for  his  anger.  He  was  angry  himself, 
but  in  a  different  way  —  angry  enough  to  resign  his 
bank-directorship  if  that  would  leave  him  free  to 
act,  but  he  couldn't  very  well  resign  his  partner- 
ship. All  in  all,  it  was  a  costly  business,  and  a 
thankless  one.  For  what  he  was  doing  he  would 
not  get  even  gratitude.  Stafford  and  Hobbins 
already  had  deserted,  the  bank  was  in  a  fair  way 
to  lose  something,  his  partner  was  dissatisfied,  and 
he  himself  could  see  a  personal  loss  of  time  and 


The  Reformer  Reformed  57 

money.  He  began  to  reason  in  dollars  and  cents, 
and  when  a  successful  business  man  reasons  in 
dollars  and  cents  he  ceases  to  be  capable  of  disin- 
terested action. 

"  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  with  Wade,"  he  said. 

Now  was  the  situation  suited  to  Wade's  purpose ! 
The  aggressive  reformer  had  been  forced  to  come 
to  him;  the  keystone  of  the  reform  movement  was 
loosened. 

Marshall  was  uncomfortable,  and  Wade  gave 
him  no  helping  hand,  appearing  to  be  ignorant 
and  somewhat  mystified  as  to  the  occasion  for  the 
visit.  It  was  policy  to  force  the  reformer  to  make 
all  the  overtures.  The  man  who  asks  is  ever  at 
a  disadvantage  when  confronted  with  the  man  in 
whose  power  it  lies  to  grant  or  refuse  a  request. 

"  I  have  not  come  on  politics,"  Marshall  blurted 
out,  finally.  "  I  have  come  to  see  about  that  South- 
ern penitentiary  stone  contract." 

"  Then  it  is  politics,"  returned  Wade,  blandly. 

"  It  ought  not  to  be,"  asserted  Marshall. 

"  But  it  is,"  said  Wade. 

"  Do  you  admit,"  demanded  Marshall,  "  that  you 
pay  your  political  debts  with  public  contracts,  that 
you  reward  your  friends  and  punish  your  enemies 
by  deflecting  public  business,  that  you  use  the  coffers 


58  Slaves  of  Success 

of  the  State  or  county  to  attain  your  personal 
ends?" 

"  The  question,  Mr.  Marshall,  is  an  insult,"  re- 
turned Wade,  with  dignity.  "  I  said  nothing  that 
could  be  so  interpreted.  There  are  friends  in 
politics  as  well  as  in  business,  and  our  friends  are 
very  true  to  us.  They  resent  attacks  on  us  as  your 
friends  would  resent  attacks  on  your  business 
integrity.  If  a  vicious  assault  were  made  on  your 
business  reputation,  Mr.  Marshall,  would  your 
friends  go  out  of  their  way  to  give  business  or 
benefit  of  any  kind  to  the  man  who  had  so  assailed 
you?" 

"  Certainly  not,  but  —  " 

"  When  you  go  into  business  you  take  the  neces- 
sary risks  and  stand  the  losses  as  well  as  accept  the 
profits,  do  you  not  ?  " 

"  Of  course,  but  —  " 

"  When  you  go  into  politics  you  have  got  to  take 
the  penalties  as  well  as  the  rewards." 

"  But  there  are  no  personal  rewards  for  me ;  I 
want  none,"  urged  Marshall. 

"  Then  you  get  only  the  losses,  the  penalties," 
retorted  Wade.  "  I  don't  think  I  should  go  into 
a  game  where  my  only  chance  is  to  lose." 

"  It's  outrageous !  "  declared  Marshall. 


The  Reformer  Reformed  59 

"  It  may  seem  so,"  returned  Wade,  "  but  it  is 
only  human  nature,  business  nature.  Frankly,  Mr. 
Marshall,  what  you  tell  me  is  the  first  information 
I  have  had  of  this,  but  I  have  very  good  friends  in 
influential  places,  and  so  have  Carroll  and  some  of 
the  others.  My  friends  naturally  feel  very  bitter 
toward  you,  and  they  are  doing  just  what  your 
friends  would  do  in  similar  circumstances.  I  can't 
very  well  upbraid  them  for  their  loyalty,  can  I  ?  " 

"  If  you  knew  nothing  about  it,  why  was  I 
directed  to  come  to  you?"  asked  Marshall. 

"  It  is  possible,"  said  Wade,  with  gentle  signifi- 
cance, "  that  this  was  intended  as  a  hint  to  you 
to  make  friends  with  me.  If,  as  I  suppose,  loyalty 
to  me  and  my  associates  is  what  lies  back  of  it 
all,  this  is  a  plausible  explanation." 

Marshall  looked  fixedly  at  Wade  for  several 
minutes,  but  Wade  only  smiled  pleasantly  back  at 
him.  The  business  instinct  in  Marshall  triumphed 
after  a  bitter  struggle.  It  was  humiliating,  but 
what  other  course  lay  open  to  him? 

"How  can  I  do  this?"  he  asked,  finally. 

"  I  am  in  the  hands  of  my  friends,"  smiled  Wade. 
"  I  am  satisfied  when  they  are." 

An  angry  retort  came  to  Marshall's  lips,  but  he 
smothered  it.  He  was  reasoning  in  figures  again. 


60  Slaves  of  Success 

A  paper  was  lying  on  Wade's  desk.  It  had  been 
carelessly  pushed  aside,  and  now  lay  almost  in  front 
of  Marshall.  He  could  not  help  seeing  the  line, 
"  Copy  of  the  specifications  for  the  new  indus- 
trial school."  What  was  Wade  doing  with  it? 
Marshall's  plan  contemplated  furnishing  the  stone 
for  that  structure,  but  the  specifications  might  be 
so  drawn  as  to  exclude  his  stone.  Why  should  the 
thing  be  submitted  to  Wade  before  the  bids  were 
asked  ? 

"  What  do  your  friends  wish  me  to  do?  "  asked 
Marshall. 

"  Nothing,"  replied  Wade. 

It  was  cleverly  put.  He  was  asked  to  do  noth- 
ing. It  had  an  innocent  sound,  this  answer  to  his 
question,  but  Marshall  knew  what  it  meant.  The 
man  who  does  nothing  is  not  dangerous. 

Marshall  hated  himself  as  he  left  the  office;  he 
despised  himself  when  he  told  Pendleton  that  the 
stone  contract  was  all  right;  he  felt  contemptible 
while  he  was  informing  the  bank  president  that  he 
need  not  worry  about  the  county  funds;  but  he 
continued  to  reason  in  figures,  and  tried  to  convince 
himself  that  he  had  done  all  that  could  be  expected 
of  him.  Surely  he  could  not  be  expected  to  carry 
the  whole  burden  of  the  reform  movement. 


The  Reformer  Reformed  6 1 

Meanwhile  Wade  waited  and  watched  the  papers, 
and  a  day  or  so  later  he  was  rewarded  by  seeing  a 
society  item  to  the  effect  that  Mr.  Leroy  N.  Mar- 
shall, whose  wife  had  been  in  California  for  several 
months,  would  join  her  there,  and  together  they 
would  visit  a  number  of  Pacific  Coast  points  of 
interest,  returning  by  way  of  the  Canadian  Rockies. 
Thereupon  Wade  called  up  Carroll  on  the  telephone. 

"  The  reform  movement  has  collapsed,"  he  an- 
nounced. 

And  so  far  as  effective  and  cohesive  action  was 
concerned,  it  had  collapsed,  although  its  actual 
demise  was  gradual. 


III. 

A   MORTGAGE   ON   A   MAN 

DAVID  CLOW  was  poor  and  honest  when  he  was 
sent  to  the  Legislature,  and  he  withstood  many 
temptations.  He  was  unsophisticated  without  being 
entirely  ignorant.  He  had  heard  a  great  deal  about 
trickery  and  corruption  in  a  general  way,  but  he 
had  no  idea  as  to  the  form  it  would  take.  Conse- 
quently, he  watched  himself  and  others  closely. 

In  time  the  edge  of  his  suspicions  wore  off. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  politics  in  the  organization 
of  the  House,  and  he  heard  rumours  of  trading  and 
treachery,  but  he  saw  nothing  of  the  inside  manipu- 
lation, and  he  simply  "  went  with  his  party,"  as  he 
had  expected  to  do.  Azro  Craig  puzzled  him  a 
little.  Craig  had  such  strong  likes  and  dislikes  and 
seemed  determined  upon  upsetting  some  of  the 
party  plans.  But  Craig  was  honest  and  knew  no 
more  of  practical  politics  than  he  did,  so  a  friend- 
ship gradually  developed  between  the  two.  Even  if 

62 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  63 

Craig  were  aggressive  in  some  ways  that  Clow 
could  not  quite  understand,  they  could  meet  on  the 
common  ground  of  admiration  for  and  loyalty  to 
Wade,  although  they  differed  with  regard  to  Car- 
roll. Clow,  as  a  party  man,  accepted  both  the 
leaders,  while  Craig  considered  Carroll  the  repre- 
sentative of  all  that  was  objectionable  in  the  party 
organization.  Clow  accepted  the  "  machine  "  as  a 
necessary  feature  of  politics:  in  strictly  party 
matters  he  was  with  it,  but  he  did  not  purpose  to 
let  it  dictate  his  course  in  other  details  of  legislation. 
Still,  he  could  not  forget  that  the  "  machine  "  leaders 
were  men  of  experience,  who  understood  things 
that  puzzled  him,  and  he  was  ready  to  advise  with 
them  on  all  topics.  This  was  after  his  suspicions 
had  been  lulled  to  sleep  by  personal  intercourse  with 
the  men.  They  were  frank  and  clever;  they  asked 
nothing,  except  in  the  name  of  the  party,  and  to 
the  party  he  wished  to  be  faithful.  If  they  erred 
occasionally,  he  could  see  that  it  was  through 
enthusiasm  for  party  success.  At  any  rate,  no  one 
made  any  improper  proposals  to  him  —  not  even 
the  corporation  agents  that  he  had  expected  to  find 
in  large  numbers  at  Springfield. 

When  Wade  and  Carroll,  the  "  machine  "  leaders, 
split  on  the  organization  of  the  House,  Clow  was 


64  Slaves  of  Success 

in  a  quandary.  He  liked  John  Wade  the  better, 
but  Ben  Carroll  certainly  had  as  good  a  right  to 
party  leadership.  In  this  emergency  he  stuck  to 
Craig.  He  knew  very  little  of  what  lay  behind  the 
fight,  and  he  could  not  understand  Craig's  pre- 
sumption in  making  a  decided  stand,  but  Craig  was 
a  good  man  and  an  honest  one.  Furthermore, 
Craig  was  one  of  the  outsiders  like  himself.  So 
without  knowing  it,  Clow  was  used  as  a  puppet  by 
Wade  through  the  influence  of  Craig;  he  became 
one  of  the  little  band  that  forced  Carroll  to  let 
Wade  put  Henry  Wellington  in  the  chair.  And, 
ignorant  of  the  part  he  had  unconsciously  played, 
he  was  gratified  when  the  two  factions  again  united. 
Meanwhile,  Clow  himself  was  under  close 
scrutiny.  Carroll  was  watching  him,  and  so  was 
Wade;  but,  as  usual,  for  very  different  purposes. 
Carroll  was  figuring  on  the  two  committees  that 
had  been  given  him  as  the  price  of  withdrawing 
Mackin  from  the  Speakership  contest.  For  reasons 
of  his  own  he  had  selected  the  Committee  on  Rail- 
roads as  one  of  these,  and  Mackin  was  to  have  the 
chairmanship  of  this  as  a  reward  for  his  ready 
obedience  to  the  order  to  withdraw.  But  it  was 
no  easy  task  to  select  a  committee  that  would  appear 
to  conform  to  custom  in  the  method  of  selection 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  65 

and  still  answer  his  purpose.  His  power  here  must 
not  be  too  apparent,  if  he  would  escape  a  great 
public  outcry;  there  must  be  a  minority  element 
that  would  satisfy  the  people,  but,  as  a  matter  of 
safety,  there  must  be  some  tractable  men  in  this 
minority  —  men  who  were  not  publicly  identified 
with  him,  but  who  would  be  subservient  to  his  inter- 
ests later.  Would  Clow  be  tractable? 

Wade  was  asking  himself  the  same  question,  but 
in  his  case  it  related  to  politics  and  not  to  finance. 
He  wished  to  control  personally.  So  long  as  he 
and  Carroll  had  identical  interests  they  would  pull 
together,  but  he  knew  that  he  could  not  rely  on 
Carroll  one  minute  longer  than  it  was  to  the  latter's 
personal  advantage  to  aid  him.  He  had  a  higher 
aim  than  Carroll  —  a  political  aim  that  he  did  not 
confide  even  to  his  closest  friends  —  and  he  wished 
to  be  in  a  position  to  compel  acquiescence  when 
the  time  came:  he  wished  to  have  the  power  that 
would  prevent  any  one  from  laughing  when  he 
mentioned  the  United  States  Senate.  He  could 
always  "  dicker "  with  Carroll  for  anything  he 
wanted,  provided  he  had  the  men  or  votes  where- 
with to  dicker,  but  that  was  unsatisfactory  and 
uncertain.  He  wished  to  rule;  he  wished  to  be  in 
a  position  to  "block"  Carroll  whenever  it  might 


66  Slaves  of  Success 

be  necessary,  and  thus  to  dictate  terms.  To  do  this 
every  possible  vote  was  of  importance.  He  had 
captured  Craig  when  all  others  had  failed;  how 
could  he  capture  Clow  ? 

Both  men  were  cautious,  and  both  investigated. 
They  found  that  Clow  was  a  poor  man,  to  whom 
ready  money  would  be  a  great  boon.  He  had 
debts,  among  them  an  overdue  note  for  $500,  on 
which  $100  had  been  paid,  and,  while  the  holder 
of  the  note  had  no  wish  to  press  matters,  he  was 
quite  willing  to  sell  it. 

"  Shall  I  get  it?  "  asked  Tom  Higbie. 

"  Wait,"  replied  Carroll.  "  I  want  to  have  a 
talk  with  him  first." 

"  Better  let  me  do  the  talking,"  suggested  Higbie. 
"  You're  too  strenuous  and  excitable  when  things 
don't  go  right." 

"  Perhaps  that's  wise,"  admitted  Carroll ;  for  he 
knew  his  own  shortcomings  and  the  abilities  of  his 
lieutenant.  "  I  want  to  know  how  to  place  him ;  I 
want  to  get  some  idea  of  the  man.  Is  he  going  to 
be  easy,  difficult,  or  impossible  ?  That's  the  question, 
Higbie,  and  some  idea  as  to  how  much  this  indebted- 
ness is  worrying  him  will  help  to  answer  it.  But 
you'll  have  to  be  careful.  He  may  be  another 
Craig." 


"'POLITICS,'  SAID    HIGBIE,    'IS    A    BUSINESS'" 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  67 

Of  course  Higbie  made  no  direct  overtures  to 
Clow,  but  he  sounded  him  cautiously.  Although 
the  time  for  decision  was  short,  he  succeeded  in 
getting  reasonably  close  to  his  man,  and  in  having 
some  confidential  talks  with  him.  Clow  was  glad 
to  have  some  one  who  could  give  him  information 
on  puzzling  points  of  politics,  so  he  talked  quite 
freely.  He  could  not  understand  some  of  the  moves 
made,  and  these  Higbie  explained  in  the  way  that 
best  suited  his  purpose, 

"  Politics,"  said  Higbie,  "  is  a  business,  and  no 
man  does  business  solely  for  his  health.  His  aim 
is  Success,  whatever  his  standard  of  success  may 
be.  He  makes  alliances  with  that  end  in  view, 
he  seeks  to  gain  advantages  over  his  competitors, 
he  confers  favours  for  that  purpose.  They  are 
always  talking  about  doing  public  business  on  a 
strictly  business  basis.  That  is  the  basis  of  it  now. 
We  do  in  politics  precisely  what  the  business  men 
do  in  business:  we  put  forward  the  men  who  can 
and  will  help  us." 

"  That  sounds  all  right,"  said  Clow,  dubiously. 

"And  it  is  all  right,"  asserted  Higbie.  "The 
man  of  large  corporate  interests  picks  out  a  man 
that  he  knows  to  represent  him  on  a  board  of  di- 
rectors, and  the  man  of  large  political  interests 


68  Slaves  of  Success 

uses  the  same  caution  in  putting  men  on  commit- 
tees. In  both  cases  men  are  wanted  who  will  be 
faithful ;  in  both  cases  faithful  men  are  rewarded  in 
one  way  or  another.  There  is  not  a  great  financier 
or  business  man  who  has  not  made  success  for  one 
or  more  that  he  can  trust,  and  there  is  not  a  great 
politician  who  has  not  done  the  same  thing.  It  is 
cooperation,  and  nowhere  is  cooperation  more  neces- 
sary than  in  politics,  for  no  man  can  accomplish 
anything  alone.  He  must  have  help,  and  to  have 
help  he  must  give  it.  Now  you  have  the  secret  of 
success  in  public  life." 

Clow  considered  this  thoughtfully  for  a  few  min- 
utes. Then  he  saw  where  the  fault  lay. 

"  You  are  assuming,"  he  said,  "  that  the  politi- 
cian has  a  proprietary  interest  in  the  work  of  the 
committee.  I  am  a  party  man,  but  I  was  not  sent 
here  to  represent  you  or  Carroll  or  Wade.  The 
voters  of  my  district  elected  me." 

"  But  they  can't  put  .you  on  a  good  committee/* 
asserted  Higbie. 

"  Well,  I  don't  much  care,"  returned  Clow.  "  If 
I'm  going  to  let  other  people  decide  what  I  ought 
to  do  there's  no  use  of  my  being  here  at  all.  It 
seems  to  me  that  my  business  is  to  do  what  7  think 
is  right,  and  that's  what  I'll  do." 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  69 

Higbie  had  been  careful  to  make  this  a  discus- 
sion of  general  legislative  methods,  without  even 
an  intimation  of  a  direct  proposition  from  him,  and 
he  now  decided  that  it  was  useless  to  pursue  the 
subject.  Clow  would  think  for  himself  on  all  but 
straight  party  questions,  and  he  would  think  and 
act  with  resolute  honesty.  His  manner  and  tone, 
more  than  his  words,  gave  this  impression.  And 
the  quickness  with  which  he  found  the  flaw  in  the 
comparison  of  directors  and  committeemen  was  evi- 
dence that  he  could  not  be  easily  befuddled  or  led. 
Possibly,  in  a  desperate  financial  predicament,  he 
might  prove  vulnerable,  but  even  that  was  unlikely. 
Indeed,  Clow  himself  presently  destroyed  all  hope 
of  that. 

"  I'll  tell  you  a  few  things,"  he  said,  after  a  pause, 
"  that  will  prove  my  sincerity.  I  am  a  merchant 
in  a  small  town,  with  an  old  father  and  mother 
dependent  upon  me.  A  good  education  was  all 
that  my  father  was  able  to  give  me  before  illness 
compelled  him  to  retire  from  business  life.  I  took 
charge  of  his  business,  and  for  twenty  years  or 
more  I  have  been  a  country  merchant  with  a  dwin- 
dling trade.  There  has  been  occasional  improve- 
ment in  it,  but  most  of  the  time  it  has  been  a  serious 
task  to  get  even  a  moderate  living  out  of  it,  es- 


yo  Slaves  of  Success 

pecially  for  one  with  an  invalid  father  who  requires 
considerable  attention.  Very  likely  another  could 
have  done  better,  but  I  am  not  a  good  business  man, 
and  had  planned  to  study  for  a  profession.  Some- 
thing over  a  year  ago  I  borrowed  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, and  I  had  almost  despaired  of  ever  being  able 
to  pay  it  when  I  was  offered  this  nomination  and 
accepted  it.  I  hesitated  at  first,  —  I  tell  you  frankly 
I  was  afraid  of  myself  under  the  circumstances,  for 
I  had  heard  a  great  deal  about  the  temptations,  and 
I  knew,  with  my  necessities,  that  money  would  have 
a  fearful  fascination  for  me,  —  but  the  salary  was 
a  great  inducement.  It  seemed  to  me  that,  by  liv- 
ing cheaply,  I  could  save  half  of  the  one  thousand 
dollars  I  get  for  the  session,  and  pay  the  balance 
still  due  on  that  note,  while  the  store,  in  charge 
of  a  trustworthy  clerk,  would  defray  the  expenses 
of  the  rest  of  the  family.  You  know  how  I  am 
living  here,  Mr.  Higbie;  you  have  seen  enough  to 
know  that  I  am  saving  the  money  as  I  planned.  If 
I  am  doing  that,  do  you  think  there  is  any  man  on 
God's  earth  who  can  buy  my  independence  as  a 
legislator  and  a  man  with  either  favours  or  cash? 
I  am  not  suspecting  you  of  trying  to  buy  it,  although 
I  have  been  pretty  suspicious  since  I  got  here;  but 
you  have  been  telling  me  how  things  are  done,  and 


A   Mortgage  on  a  Man  71 

I  am  giving  you  proof  that  I  won't  do  them  that 
way.  I  am  ignorant  of  methods  here,  I  have  lived 
among  simple  people,  but  I  know  there  is  money  to 
be  had  by  the  unscrupulous,  and  yet  I  am  getting 
what  I  need  by  rigid  economy.  Is  it  necessary  to 
say  more  ?  " 

Higbie  reached  forward  and  grasped  his  hand 
impulsively. 

"  Not  one  word,"  he  said.  "  You  have  a  higher 
sense  of  honour  and  a  stronger  will  than  any  other 
man  in  this  Legislature,  and  I  honour  you  for  it." 

Then  Higbie  went  to  see  Carroll. 

"  You're  on  a  dead  card,"  he  told  the  latter. 
"  You'll  have  to  shuffle  the  pack  again." 

"  Can't  do  anything  with  him  ?  "  asked  Carroll. 

"  Not  a  thing,"  said  Higbie.  "  He  hasn't  even 
political  ambition  and  doesn't  care  whether  he's  on 
one  committee  or  another.  He's  going  back  to  his 
store  after  this  one  term,  but  while  he's  here  he's 
going  to  do  his  own  thinking,  and  it's  going  to  be 
the  kind  of  thinking  that  his  constituents  expect. 
You've  got  only  one  hold  on  him." 

"What's  that?" 

"  He's  a  Republican  from  the  ground  up,  but 
that  won't  help  you  just  now." 


72  Slaves  of  Success 

"  No,"  said  Carroll,  thoughtfully ;  "  I  want  more 
than  that." 

Then  Higbie  went  over  the  conversation  in  detail. 

"  There  can  be  no  doubt,"  he  said,  in  conclusion, 
"  that  a  demand  for  the  payment  of  that  note  at 
this  time  would  make  a  devilish  lot  of  trouble  for 
him,  and  a  threat  to  begin  suit  would  put  him  face  to 
face  with  probable  ruin.  He  must  have  other 
creditors  who  would  come  down  on  his  store  like  a 
thousand  of  brick.  No  one  can  say  positively  what 
he  would  do  to  save  himself,  but  he  has  the  manner 
of  a  man  who  would  be  fool  enough  to  accept  ruin. 
Still,  there  would  be  no  risk,  for  the  note  will  be 
paid  in  time,  if  you  don't  have  to  use  it.  His  one 
ambition  is  to  get  that  out  of  the  way.  It  may  be 
worth  trying." 

"What's  the  use?"  returned  Carroll,  after  a 
moment  of  thought.  "  I  haven't  any  four  hundred 
dollars  that  I  want  to  tie  up  on  an  uncertainty.  Just 
tell  Wade  that  Clow  is  out  of  the  running  so  far  as 
I  am  concerned." 

"  It's  funny  what  fools  some  of  these  country 
members  can  be,"  commented  Higbie. 

When  Wade  received  the  message  he  pondered 
deeply.  Speaker  Wellington  was  his  man,  and 
Speaker  Wellington  was  taking  care  of  various 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  73 

members  in  whom  he  had  an  interest.  Indeed,  the 
committee  announcements,  with  a  few  necessary 
exceptions,  had  been  held  up  from  day  to  day  to 
permit  him  and  Carroll  to  do  a  little  preliminary 
dickering.  He  wondered  whether  it  would  be  worth 
while  to  "  take  care  of  "  Clow  or  would  be  advis- 
able to  "  side-track "  him.  He  would  have  very 
little  personal  use  for  Clow  if  the  latter  stuck  to 
his  determination  to  be  satisfied  with  one  term,  for 
the  culmination  of  his  plans  was  due  at  the  next 
session,  but  he  had  little  confidence  in  single-term 
declarations.  He  recalled  others  who  had  been 
quite  as  modest  and  who  had  been  found  working 
strenuously  for  a  reelection  a  little  later.  No  doubt 
Clow  was  honest  in  his  assertion,  but  a  little  political 
experience  had  a  way  of  changing  men's  views. 
In  any  event,  the  stronger  he  could  show  himself 
to  be  in  this  Legislature,  the  better  his  chances 
would  be  in  the  next.  Power  begets  power,  and  no 
one  can  tell  when  a  certain  man  may  be  useful. 
That  had  been  Wade's  theory  from  the  beginning. 
The  man  who  is  master  to-day  may  so  lay  his 
plans  that  he  can  dictate  nominations  to-morrow, 
and  thus  rule  again  when  it  may  be  more  important 
to  his  individual  interests. 

In  this  emergency  Wade  made  the  mistake  of 


74  Slaves  of  Success 

going  to  Craig.  He  knew  it  was  unwise,  but  there 
seemed  to  be  no  other  course  open.  Craig  was 
closer  to  Clow  than  any  one  else,  and  Wade  flattered 
himself  that  he  could  make  use  of  Craig  without 
letting  the  old  man  discover  his  real  purpose.  He 
put  it  on  the  ground  that  he  wished  to  get  as  inti- 
mate a  knowledge  as  possible  of  the  man  in  order 
that  he  might  be  put  on  the  committees  where  he 
would  prove  most  valuable.  But  it  had  begun  to 
dawn  on  Craig  that  these  men  from  Chicago  were 
taking  too  deep  an  interest  in  the  Legislature. 

"What's  the  committees  to  you?"  he  asked, 
pointedly.  "You  ain't  the  Speaker;  you  ain't 
even  a  member  of  the  Legislature." 

"Quite  right,  Azro,"  admitted  Wade;  "but 
my  experience  in  politics  makes  me  of  some  value 
to  Wellington,  and  he  has  asked  me  to  advise  with 
him.  You  know  I  had  something  to  do  with 
naming  him." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head  doubtfully. 

"  I  s'pose  it's  all  right,"  he  said,  "  but  I'm  darned 
if  it  don't  seem  to  me  like  you  an'  Carroll  is  takin' 
too  blamed  much  on  yourselves  down  here." 

"  I  thought  you  were  my  friend,  Azro,  and  had 
confidence  in  me,"  argued  Wade. 

"  Oh,  you're  white,  Jack,  an'  I  like  you,"  returned 


"  '  YOU    GO    BACK    TO    CHICAGO  ' 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  75 

Craig,  "  but  I'd  feel  a  lot  more  comf'table  if  you'd 
go  back  to  Chicago  an'  look  after  your  own  busi- 
ness. I  ain't  sayin'  you  wasn't  right  in  mixin'  in 
on  the  Speakership,  so's  to  knock  out  Carroll's  man, 
but  that's  over  now,  an'  I  don't  see  why  you  got  to 
keep  on  mixin'  in.  An'  I'll  tell  you  another  thing, 
Jack:  I  ain't  never  felt  jest  right  about  the  way 
you  patched  it  up  with  Carroll." 

"  I  got  our  man  for  Speaker  by  doing  it,  didn't 
I?"  asked  Wade. 

"  Oh,  yes,"  admitted  Craig,  "  but  it  ain't  my  way 
to  make  terms  with  the  devil.  You're  my  friend, 
Jack  —  you  showed  you  was  a  real  friend  up  to 
Chicago  when  all  the  rest  was  pertendin'  to  be  my 
friends  while  they  was  guyin'  me  —  an'  so  I'm 
talkin'  to  you  straight,  like  man  to  man.  You  go 
back  to  Chicago.  Folks  is  sayin'  things,  an'  the 
papers  is  sayin'  things,  an'  it  looks  like  they  had 
reason." 

"  I'm  going  back  just  as  soon  as  these  committees 
are  out  of  the  way,"  said  Wade,  with  great  appar- 
ent frankness.  "  There's  a  lot  of  hard  sense  in 
what  you  say,  Azro,  but  I  promised  to  give  Welling- 
ton the  benefit  of  my  advice,  and  we  don't  know 
where  Clow  will  fit  in." 

"  No  more  do  I,"  replied  Craig,  "  only  that  he'll 


y6  Slaves  of  Success 

fit  his  fist  in  the  face  of  any  feller  that  asks  him  to 
do  what  he  don't  think  is  right.  He  ain't  sayin' 
much,  but  he's  got  his  mind  made  up,  an'  he's  been 
scared  to  death  for  fear  he'd  have  to  hit  somebody. 
Only  jest  beginnin'  to  feel  easy  an'  decent,  owin'  to 
bein'  let  alone.  But  there's  a  note  that's  worryin' 
him  a  good  deal." 

"  I've  heard  about  it,"  said  Wade,  incautiously. 

"  You  hear  too  much,  Jack  Wade,"  retorted 
Craig. 

"  Carroll  told  me,"  said  Wade,  lying  cheerfully 
in  an  effort  to  rectify  his  error. 

"  It  didn't  seem  like  you  to  be  diggin'  into  a  man's 
private  affairs,"  returned  Craig,  with  evident  relief, 
"  an'  it  won't  do  Carroll  no  good.  You  kin  tell  him 
that  from  me." 

"  I'm  not  carrying  messages  to  Carroll,"  laughed 
Wade.  "  I'm  trying  to  help  Wellington  with  the 
committees,  and  all  this  is  of  no  earthly  impor- 
tance." 

But,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  of  supreme  impor- 
tance, and  Wellington  was  informed  that  he  could 
do  as  he  pleased  in  the  matter  of  placing  Clow. 
Neither  Wade  nor  Carroll  had  any  further  imme- 
diate interest  in  the  matter.  In  consequence  Clow 
found  himself  where  he  would  have  little  or  nothing 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  77 

to  do  with  important  legislation,  except  on  the 
floor  of  the  House., 

Wade  knew  that  he  had  made  a  mistake  in  going 
to  Craig.  He  saw  that  the  old  man  was  becoming 
uneasy,  and,  in  spite  of  the  plausible  explanation 
made,  the  visit  had  added  to  his  disquietude. 
Later  a  second  mistake  was  made,  but  it  was  not 
Wade  who  made  it  this  time;  on  the  contrary, 
Wade  profited  by  it.  He  was  not  infallible,  but 
he  seldom  made  two  mistakes  in  succession.  In 
this  case  an  innocent-looking  bill  appeared  in  the 
House,  and  none  of  the  "  wise  ones  "  seemed  to 
see  the  significance  of  it.  It  related  to  the  licensing 
of  express  companies,  and  required  that  any  cor- 
poration, firm,  or  individual,  doing  an  interurban 
express  business,  should  take  out  a  State  license. 
In  terms  it  was  very  sweeping,  but  there  was  noth- 
ing to  indicate  that  the  regular  express  companies 
were  at  all  alarmed  by  it,  and  no  one  else  seemed 
to  be  interested.  Wade  heard  of  it  in  time  to  sug- 
gest that  it  be  sent  to  the  Committee  on  Commerce, 
and  it  was  so  referred. 

The  Committee  on  Commerce  was  not  an  im- 
portant one  from  either  a  boodler's  or  a  practical 
politician's  point  of  view.  Indeed,  it  seemed  to 
have  been  devised  largely  for  the  purpose  of  taking 


78  Slaves  of  Success 

care  of  men  who  were  not  wanted  on  other  com- 
mittees, for  somehow  the  Committee  on  Railroads 
usually  got  everything  in  the  commerce  line  that 
was  worth  having.  Azro  Craig  and  David  Clow 
were  members  of  the  Committee  on  Commerce. 

"  Perhaps,"  mused  Wade,  "  I  can  reach  Clow 
with  this.  It  is  worth  trying.  But  I  don't  see  how 
Carroll  overlooked  it." 

Wade  had  gone  to  Chicago  after  the  committees 
had  been  made  up,  thereby  raising  himself  some- 
what in  Craig's  estimation,  but  he  kept  in  close 
touch  with  certain  legislators,  and  a  word  or  two 
of  advance  information  about  this  bill  had  brought 
him  back.  He  seldom  overlooked  an  opportunity, 
and  he  never  lost  sight  of  a  man  who  could  be  made 
useful  to  him.  Clow  had  had  to  be  eliminated  from 
his  plans  temporarily,  but  he  never  had  been  wholly 
abandoned :  there  was  always  a  chance  of  a  com- 
bination of  circumstances  that  would  put  any  man 
he  wanted  within  reach.  So  Wade,  in  his  clever, 
careless  way,  as  if  it  were  a  matter  of  no  impor- 
tance, had  this  bill  sent  to  the  Committee  on  Com- 
merce, and  he  laughed  inwardly  as  he  did  it. 

"  Carroll  will  have  a  fit  when  he  wakes  up,"  he 
said. 

While  Carroll  did  not  go  through  many  contor- 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  79 

tions  and  foam  at  the  mouth,  he  swore  mightily 
when  he  discovered  what  had  escaped  him, 

"  Why,  say !  "  he  cried,  "  that  bill  is  in  the  interest 
of  the  big  express  companies." 

"  Surely,"  returned  Wade,  pleasantly.  "  There 
are  a  whole  lot  of  people  in  the  towns  surrounding 
Chicago  who  make  a  living  by  doing  the  city  shop- 
ping for  residents  of  their  districts.  They  make 
one  or  two  trips  a  week,  bringing  the  parcels  back 
with  them.  It  has  annoyed  the  express  companies 
and  the  railroads  a  good  deal.  Didn't  you  know 
that,  Carroll?" 

"  Why,  under  the  terms  of  that  bill,"  exclaimed 
Carroll,  ignoring  the  question,  "  the  one-horse  ex- 
pressman can't  carry  a  package  a  foot  beyond  the 
limits  of  his  own  town  without  paying  a  license 
fee,  and  the  interurban  trolley  that  carries  a  basket 
of  eggs  to  market  will  find  itself  in  all  kinds  of 
trouble." 

"  Of  course,"  admitted  Wade,  with  aggravating 
good-humour.  "  The  trolley  people  have  been  so 
obliging  that  they  have  hurt  the  express  business. 
And  there  are  men  and  boys  who  make  regular 
trips  to  take  charge  of  parcels." 

"  But  there's  money  in  that  bill !  "  cried  Carroll. 

"There    was,"    corrected    Wade.      "The    right 


8o  Slaves  of  Success 

kind  of  a  committee  could  have  made  a  good  thing 
out  of  it,  but  I  don't  think  the  Committee  on  Com- 
merce will." 

Extraordinary  interest  now  centred  in  a  commit- 
tee previously  considered  unimportant.  The  bill 
in  its  custody  might  be  reported  favourably  or  un- 
favourably, or  it  might  be  held  up  indefinitely.  A 
great  deal  depended  on  the  committee's  action,  for 
it  was  rumoured  that  success  in  one  State  would 
encourage  the  express  companies  to  try  similar 
legislation  in  other  States,  and  the  report  of  this 
first  committee  would  give  a  basis  for  speculation 
as  to  the  future.  Success  promised  a  large  increase 
of  business  for  the  express  companies.  The  stock 
market,  responsive  to  the  most  trifling  influences, 
was  unsteady  so  far  as  express  stocks  were  con- 
cerned. They  went  up  when  the  true  import  of  the 
bill  first  became  known,  and  then  rumours  of  un- 
favourable action  sent  them  down. 

Wade  watched  and  waited,  while  conflicting  re- 
ports came  from  the  committee.  But  he  managed 
to  see  a  good  deal  of  Clow,  and  Clow  talked  of 
the  bill. 

"There  is  some  underhanded  work  going  on," 
he  said  one  day.  "  If  that  bill  had  been  reported 
back  the  day  it  came  to  us,  it  would  have 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  81 

been  reported  unfavourably,  but  it  is  practically 
certain  now  that  it  will  go  back  with  a  favourable 
report.  I  tell  you,  it  doesn't  look  right." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  Wade,  carelessly. 

"  It's  a  bad  bill,"  asserted  Clow,  earnestly.  "  It's 
going  to  put  friends  and  neighbours  of  some  of 
these  men  out  of  business,  it's  going  to  incon- 
venience a  lot  of  people,  it's  going  to  hurt  some 
hard-working  expressmen,  it's  going  to  be  a  good 
thing  for  a  few  corporations,  and  for  no  one  else. 
The  voters  of  the  districts  from  which  most  of 
these  committeemen  come  are  dead  against  it,  but 
it  will  be  reported  favourably.  That's  what  doesn't 
look  right." 

"  The  information  you  are  giving  me,"  said 
Wade,  slowly,  "  is  worth  a  lot  of  money." 

"How?"  asked  Clow. 

"  A  favourable  report  will  put  up  the  stocks  of 
the  companies  affected,"  explained  Wade.  "  So 
far  nearly  all  the  rumours  have  been  unfavourable, 
which  has  had  a  depressing  effect.  A  man  who 
knows  what  that  committee  will  do  can  make  a 
very  tidy  little  sum." 

"  It  wouldn't  be  honest,"  asserted  Clow. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  returned  Wade,  argumentatively. 
"  If  he  let  the  thing  affect  his  individual  action,  it 


82  Slaves  of  Success 

would  not  be  honest,  of  course,  but  why  should  he 
not  trade  on  his  information?  Why  would  it  be 
any  more  dishonest  in  him  than  in  some  outside 
broker,  so  long  as  he  votes  honestly?  If  I  choose 
to  act  on  the  information  you  have  given  me,  am 
I  dishonest?" 

"  No-o." 

"  Then  why  should  it  be  dishonest  for  you  or 
any  one  else  to  use  the  information  the  same  way? 
I  tell  you  frankly,  Clow,  that  I  shall  buy  express 
stock  on  the  strength  of  this  information,  and  I 
don't  see  why  you  shouldn't  do  the  same  thing. 
But  it's  nothing  to  me  one  way  or  another.  I'll 
buy  for  you  at  the  same  time,  if  you  wish,  but  I 
certainly  don't  want  to  urge  you  to  do  anything 
that  is  going  to  worry  your  conscience." 

"I  don't  think  I'll  do  it,"  said  Clow,  slowly. 
"  I  haven't  the  money  anyway."  • 

"Oh,  that's  all  right,"  returned  Wade.  "I'd 
telegraph  my  own  broker  and  have  him  buy  it  all 
for  my  account.  Your  I  O  U  would  be  all  the 
protection  I'd  want,  for  there'd  be  no  money  to 
put  up  unless  the  deal  went  wrong,  and  it  couldn't 
go  wrong  if  your  information  is  correct.  How- 
ever, suit  yourself." 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  83 

"I  don't  think  I'll  do  it,"  Clow  repeated  very 
slowly,  and  Wade  did  not  press  the  matter. 

But  the  idea  took  possession  of  Clow,  as  he  re- 
turned to  his  shabby  little  boarding-house.  He  did 
not  doubt  Wade's  disinterestedness  in  this  matter, 
for  Wade  had  not  wished  to  influence  his  vote  and 
apparently  had  not  cared  what  action  the  com- 
mittee took.  It  was  merely  a  fine  question  of  ethics. 
After  all,  he  reflected,  it  was  the  way  he  voted  that 
counted;  but  could  he  trust  himself  to  vote  con- 
scientiously if  the  result  happened  to  rest  on  his 
vote?  It  was  a  preposterous  supposition,  in  view 
of  the  circumstances,  but  he  could  not  help  asking 
himself  the  question.  And  would  he  support  his 
convictions  as  earnestly  if  his  financial  interests  were 
opposed  to  them?  He  thought  he  would.  He  had 
schooled  himself  to  ignore  financial  considerations 
when  he  came  to  the  Legislature,  and,  so  far  as  the 
committee  was  concerned,  the  matter  was  practically 
settled  now,  anyway.  Still,  it  was  better  to  avoid 
temptation. 

Carroll  found  him  in  this  uncertain  mood.  Car- 
roll had  been  having  a  strenuous  time,  trying  to 
remedy  his  oversight  in  not  having  the  express  bill 
sent  to  the  Committee  on  Railroads.  At  first  he  had 
thought  of  "  holding  it  up  "  in  the  House  until  he 


84  Slaves  of  Success 

could  make  a  satisfactory  "  deal,"  but  to  do  that 
would  require  a  large  and  loyal  following  that 
could  be  swung  first  one  way  and  then  the  other. 
He  might  get  his  chance  in  the  House  or  he  might 
not.  There  was  reason  to  believe  that  things  al- 
ready had  been  pretty  well  "  greased  "  in  the  House 
without  his  intervention.  In  that  case  the  lines 
would  be  closely  drawn  at  the  start,  and  he  would 
have  little  with  which  to  work.  His  best  chance 
was  with  the  committee.  If  he  could  merely  give 
the  appearance  of  control  there  he  might  be  able 
to  dictate  terms.  But  the  men  who  had  the  bill  in 
charge  had  been  working  while  he  was  sleeping  in 
Chicago  —  before  he  realized  what  there  was  in 
it,  and  rushed  back  to  Springfield  in  the  wake  of 
Wade  —  and  they  laughed  at  his  threats.  Thus, 
prestige,  as  well  as  more  material  advantages,  was 
in  question.  If  he  could  postpone  the  presentation 
of  the  report  for  twenty-four  hours  it  would  give 
the  promoters  a  fright  and  make  them  tractable. 

"  Clow,"  he  said,  "  when's  that  report  going  in?  " 

"  To-morrow,"  replied  Clow. 

"  I  want  it  held  forty-eight  hours.  It's  impor- 
tant" 

"Why  don't  you  see  the  chairman?"  asked 
Clow. 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  85 

"  Oh,  he's  bought  up  by  the  express  people," 
exclaimed  Carroll,  angrily,  "  but  he  won't  force  an 
immediate  report  in  the  face  of  objections  in  the 
committee.  I've  got  two  men  who  will  stand  with 
you." 

"Not  with  me,"  returned  Clow.  "If  you'll 
show  me  how  to  get  the  report  changed,  I  might." 

"  But  I  don't  want  it  changed." 

"  Then  it  goes  in,  for  all  of  me,"  said  Clow. 
"  I've  heard  of  you  in  connection  with  this  matter, 
Carroll,  and  I  don't  trust  you.  You've  been  too 
anxious  to  get  mixed  up  in  it.  It's  not  a  party  ques- 
tion." 

"  Confound  it!  "  cried  Carroll,  "  I'll  break  you  if 
you  try  to  turn  me  down.  I  bought  up  your  note 
before  I  came  to  you."  Clow  became  suddenly  very 
white,  but  he  said  nothing.  Carroll  misinterpreted 
his  paleness. 

"  It  rests  with  you,"  said  Carroll,  still  threaten- 
ingly, "whether  I  sue  on  that  note  to-morrow  or 
tear  it  up  to-day.  I  want  that  report  held  back  for 
at  least  twenty-four  hours  —  forty-eight  hours,  if 
possible.  I  don't  want  to  tinker  with  it  or  change 
it,  but  I  want  it  held  back.  It's  a  small  matter,  but 
it's  worth  four  hundred  dollars  to  me  and  to  you." 

"  I've  been  looking  for  you,"  said  Clow,  with 


86  Slaves  of  Success 

forced  calmness.  "  I  decided  what  I  would  do  to 
men  of  your  kind  before  I  came  here,  and  I'm  glad 
of  a  chance  to  test  the  strength  of  my  resolution." 

Then,  before  Carroll  had  time  to  grasp  the  mean- 
ing of  this,  Clow  sprang  at  him  with  the  fierceness 
of  a  tiger,  and  they  went  through  the  door  of 
Clow's  room  into  the  hall  together,  where  they 
tripped  and  fell.  Clow  was  on  his  feet  first,  and 
he  deliberately  kicked  Carroll.  "  Get  out,  you 
dog !  "  he  said. 

"  I'll  break  you  for  this ! "  roared  Carroll,  regain- 
ing his  feet,  and  rapidly  retreating.  "  I'll  put  you 
out  of  business !  " 

"  But  you'll  never  try  to  buy  me  again,"  retorted 
Clow,  as  he  returned  to  his  room,  there  to  remain 
when  he  should  have  gone  to  the  Capitol  for  the 
daily  session  of  the  House.  He  was  in  no  humour 
for  public  business.  Suit  would  be  begun  on  that 
note,  and  he  felt  sure  that  the  sheriff  would  be  in 
possession  of  his  store  before  the  close  of  another 
day.  He  had  creditors  among  the  Chicago  and 
St.  Louis  wholesale  houses  who  would  be  alarmed 
by  court  proceedings.  They  had  shown  some 
evidences  of  uneasiness  before.  He  wondered  how 
soon  suit  would  be  begun.  It  was  still  compara- 
tively early  in  the  day,  but  Carroll  had  said  "to- 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  87 

morrow."  To-morrow  the  committee  report  would 
go  in  and  express  stocks  would  go  up.  The  ques- 
tion was  already  settled,  and  his  record  was  clear; 
he  had  voted  against  a  favourable  report,  but  he 
had  been  almost  alone. 

"  Mr.  Clow?  "  said  a  man  at  his  door,  inquiringly. 

"  Yes." 

"  My  name  is  Lang,  of  the  legal  firm  of  Pettus 
&  Lang." 

"  He  hasn't  wasted  any  time,"  said  Clow,  grimly. 

"  I  have  an  overdue  note  of  yours,"  explained 
Lang,  "  and  I  am  instructed  to  sue  if  it  is  not  paid." 

"How  much  time  will  you  give  me?"  asked 
Clow. 

"  None,"  replied  Lang. 

"  Surely  you  will  give  me  time  to  write  home  and 
get  an  answer,"  urged  Clow. 

"  Can  you  pay  it  then  ?  "  asked  Lang,  doubtfully. 

"  If  I  can't,"  said  Clow,  "  I  will  confess  judgment 
on  it  and  so  save  you  trouble  and  expense." 

Lang  hesitated.     Evidently  he  was  surprised. 

'  That's  a  fair  proposition,"  he  said  at  last.  "  I 
presume  I  would  be  justified  in  accepting  it  although 
my  client  apparently  contemplated  immediate 
action." 

"  There  is  nothing  to  be  gained  by  suit,"  argued 


88  Slaves  of  Success 

Clow.  "  I  will  pay  you  in  full  not  later  than  to- 
morrow evening,  or  confess  judgment  the  first  thing 
the  following  morning." 

"  I'll  do  it,"  said  Lang.  "  I'm  sure  my  client 
didn't  expect  this  when  he  instructed  me  to  sue." 

Clow  hunted  up  the  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Commerce  after  the  lawyer  had  departed.  Noth- 
ing, he  was  told,  could  keep  that  report  back  a  single 
hour,  a  rumour  that  something  of  that  sort  was  to 
be  attempted  having  alarmed  those  who  were  inter- 
ested in  the  measure.  Then  Clow  searched  for  and 
found  Wade. 

"  The  committee  report  on  that  bill  will  be  public 
property  after  the  opening  of  the  session  to-mor- 
row," he  said.  "  If  I  buy  express  stock  to-day 
and  sell  to-morrow,  can  I  have  the  profit  on  the  deal 
telegraphed  me  to-morrow  afternoon  ?  " 

"  Give  me  a  written  order  to  buy,  as  a  matter  of 
protection  in  case  the  thing  goes  wrong,"  returned 
Wade,  with  a  triumphant  smile  that  Clow  was  too 
worried  to  detect,  "  and  I  will  have  the  stock  bought 
for  my  own  account  and  personally  pay  you  the 
profit  on  a  telegraphic  report  of  the  price  at  which 
it  is  sold." 

"  I  don't  feel  quite  right  about  it,"  Cow  ex- 
plained, as  he  wrote  the  order,  "  but  I  can't  see  just 


A  Mortgage  on  a  Man  89 

what's  wrong,  and  I've  got  to  do  something.  I 
have  just  had  the  pleasure  of  knocking  Carroll 
down,  and  he's  going  to  sue  on  a  note  of  mine  that 
he  holds  unless  I  am  able  to  pay  it  to-morrow  after- 
noon." 

"  Carroll  is  a  good  friend  of  mine,"  said  Wade 
to  himself,  "  but  he  doesn't  happen  to  know  it  this 
time." 

The  following  afternoon  Azro  Craig  came  upon 
John  Wade  in  the  act  of  putting  two  folded  sheets 
of  paper  in  an  envelope.  One  was  an  order  to  buy 
express  stock,  and  the  other  was  a  receipt  for  the 
profits  of  the  deal,  and  both  were  signed  by  a  man 
who  had  acted  on  the  bill  in  committee.  To  a  man 
who  understood  all  the  circumstances  they  might 
seem  innocent,  but  by  a  suspicious  public  they 
would  not  be  so  regarded. 

"What  you  got?"  asked  Craig. 

"A  mortgage  on  a  man,"  replied  Wade,  with 
thoughtless  jocularity. 

"When  you  goin'  to  foreclose?"  asked  Craig. 

"  When  I  need  the  man,"  replied  Wade. 

Craig  knitted  his  brow.  There  was  a  coldblood- 
edness in  politics  that  was  making  him,  suspicious 
even  of  the  friends  to  whom  he  wished  to  be  most 
loyal. 


IV. 
THE   SLAVERY   OF   A   BOSS 

IT  was  no  new  thing  for  Dick  Haggin  to  be  in 
trouble,  and  he  was  not  in  the  least  worried  by  his 
arrest. 

"  You've  had  me  before,"  he  told  the  desk  ser- 
geant, "  but  you  couldn't  never  keep  me.  You'll 
hear  from  the  main  squeeze  before  long." 

But  somehow  conditions  seemed  to  be  different 
this  time. 

"  You'll  have  to  give  a  real  bond,"  the  sergeant 
told  him.  "  We've  quit  dealing  in  straw  bail." 

There  was  an  element  of  grim  humour  in  this, 
for  there  had  been  some  recent  scandals  that  had 
hit  the  justice  courts  and  the  police,  and  they  were 
still  squirming  under  the  censure  of  the  public. 
There  was  no  evidence  of  direct  connivance  with 
malefactors,  but  there  was  evidence  of  a  strong 
desire  to  oblige  men  of  political  influence,  at  least 
to  the  extent  of  being  careless  and  lax  in  the  inter- 
go 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  91 

pretation  and  enforcement  of  the  law.  But  Haggin 
did  not  know  that  an  investigation  was  then  under 
way  that  promised  to  make  a  lot  of  trouble  for 
complaisant  officials,  and  it  was  with  the  utmost 
confidence  that  he  sent  word  of  his  predicament  to 
Alderman  Bogan. 

The  alderman  responded  promptly. 

"  What's  the  matter?  "  he  asked. 

"  Nabbed  me  while  I  was  doing  a  jay,"  replied 
Haggin, 

"  You  make  more  trouble  than  any  other  ten 
men,"  retorted  the  alderman,  disgustedly.  "  Why 
don't  you  cut  that  sort  of  thing  out  ?  " 

"  I  didn't  want  to  do  it  —  honest,  I  didn't  —  but 
it  was  too  easy,"  pleaded  Haggin.  "  There  ought  to 
be  a  law  against  lettin'  these  yahoos  come  to  town 
with  big  bunches  of  money.  I  can  stand  a  good 
deal,  but  I  ain't  no  angel,  an'  it  worries  me  to  see 
folks  with  money  that  they  don't  know  how  to  take 
care  of.  Anyhow,  I  ain't  no  use  to  nobody  while  I'm 
locked  up." 

"  I'll  see  what  I  can  do,"  said  the  alderman. 

Politicians  of  a  certain  class  look  upon  some  male- 
factors much  as  an  indulgent  parent  looks  on  a  way- 
ward child.  They  may  scold  and  threaten,  but  they 
will  do  what  they  can  to  protect  the  offender  from 


92  Slaves  of  Success 

the  penalty  of  the  offence.  They  do  not  condone 
it  in  words,  but  they  do  in  deeds,  and  they  find 
political  advantage  and  personal  gratification  in  the 
ascendency  they  thus  gain  over  men  that  the  good 
citizen  fears.  It  has  happened  before  this  that  the 
victim  of  a  robbery  has  had  all  the  stolen  things 
returned  to  him  after  it  became  known  that  he  was 
the  personal  friend  of  some  unscrupulous  local 
politician. 

So  Alderman  Bogan  had  a  talk  with  the  captain. 

"  It's  all  right,"  he  said.  "  I'll  answer  for  him. 
It's  nothing  but  a  '  disorderly  '  case,  anyway." 

"  He's  '  booked '  for  robbery,"  replied  the  cap- 
tain. 

"  A  mistake,"  asserted  the  alderman.  "  I'll  speak 
to  the  justice  about  it  myself,  and  you  know  well 
enough  the  yahoo  won't  appear  against  him." 

"  He's  got  to  appear  against  him,"  returned  the 
captain,  "  in  order  to  get  his  watch  and  money  back. 
They're  held  as  evidence.  Since  the  last  roast  we 
got,  alderman,  we're  taking  no  chances,  and  I  don't 
think  the  justice  is,  either." 

The  alderman  began  to  see  that  this  thing  was 
going  to  be  more  difficult  than  usual,  but  he  had  par- 
ticular reasons  for  wanting  to  take  care  of  Haggin, 
so  he  went  in  search  of  a  Democratic  colleague, 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  93 

Alderman  Bradley.  While  of  opposite  political 
parties,  they  had  found  many  ways  in  which  they 
could  be  useful  to  each  other.  It  was  an  alliance  of 
convenience  with  which  politics  had  nothing  ta  do. 
They  might  be  as  antagonistic  as  they  pleased  on 
party  questions,  but  each  would  rather  have  the 
other  in  the  Council  than  another  man  of  his  own 
political  party.  In  brief,  they  were  of  the  number 
that  a  protracted  "  reform  "  campaign  had  failed 
to  reach.  The  Council  had  been  improved,  but  it 
was  still  far  from  perfect. 

"  One  of  the  boys  is  in  trouble,"  announced  Alder- 
man Bogan. 

"  It's  a  bad  time,"  said  Alderman  Bradley. 
"  You'd  better  let  him  slide  if  you  can." 

"  But  I  can't,"  returned  Bogan.  "  He  isn't  the 
common  run,  and  he  can  do  a  lot  of  harm.  I  tried 
to  talk  to  the  captain,  but  he  wouldn't  listen.  The 
administration  is  Democratic,  you  know." 

Bradley  nodded.  Minor  officials  were  disposed 
to  oblige  an  alderman  regardless  of  his  politics, 
but  in  a  case  like  this,  all  else  being  equal,  a  Demo- 
crat might  be  able  to  do  more  than  a  Republican. 

"I'll  talk  to  him,"  said  Bradley. 

The  captain  remained  obdurate,  however.  The 
man  had  been  "  booked,"  and  that  settled  it.  He 


94  Slaves  of  Success 

would  not  be  released  until  bail  bonds  had  been 
furnished  and  approved  by  a  police  magistrate. 
And  the  justices  had  suddenly  become  very  particu- 
lar about  bail  bonds. 

"  As  I  understand  it,"  said  the  alderman,  care- 
lessly, "  it's  a  trifling  affair,  and  he'll  be  discharged 
by  the  justice  to-morrow,  anyway." 

"  It's  not  a  trifling  affair  to  me,"  asserted  the 
captain.  "  I'd  like  to  oblige  you,  but  I  don't  see 
how  I  can  do  it." 

"  Perhaps  you're  right,"  admitted  the  alderman. 
"  They  have  been  raising  a  good  deal  of  a  rumpus 
over  police  stations  and  police  courts  lately,  and  I 
don't  want  to  get  you  into  trouble." 

Bradley  could  not  afford  to  show  too  deep  a 
personal  interest  in  the  case;  if  he  made  it  appear 
important  his  hope  of  success  was  thereby  lessened, 
for  the  captain  would  have  greater  fear  of  conse- 
quences. Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  try  to  get 
results  through  the  City  Hall,  although  it  was 
rather  late  for  that. 

As  he  left  the  police  station  he  was  accosted  by 
a  man  who  plainly  showed  that  he  was  from  the 
country. 

"  Be  you  an  alderman  ? "  asked  the  farmer. 
"  The  constable  said  you  was." 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  95 

"  Yes,"  replied  Bradley,  "  what  can  I  do  for 
you?" 

"  I  ain't  jest  sure,"  said  the  farmer,  "  but  mebbe 
you  kin  get  my  watch  an'  money  for  me." 

"Who's  got  them?"  asked  Bradley. 

"  The  fellers  in  there,"  said  the  farmer,  indicating 
the  police  station.  "  They  took  'em  from  the  man 
that  robbed  me,  an'  they  won't  give  'em  back." 

"Why  not?" 

"  They  say  if  I  got  'em  I'd  go  back  home  without 
appearin'  ag'in'  the  man  that  did  it." 

"Would  you?" 

"  You  bet  I  would !  "  exclaimed  the  farmer,  and 
then  he  seemed  to  regret  his  words  and  began  to 
apologize. 

"  The  folks'll  be  worried  'bout  me,"  he  ex- 
plained, "  an'  it  costs  money  to  stay  here,  an'  a 
feller  I  was  talkin'  to  said  they'd  most  likely  tie  me 
up  fer  a  week  or  more  an'  make  me  come  back  four 
or  five  times,  an'  I  can't  afford  it.  Seems  like  the 
easiest  thing  is  jest  to  light  out  for  home  if  I  git 
a  good  chance.  That's  what  the  feller  told  me." 

The  alderman  did  not  ask  who  "  the  feller  "  was, 
but  he  had  no  doubt  in  his  own  mind  that  the  friends 
of  Haggin  were  at  work  trying  to  spoil  the  case  by 
getting  the  prosecuting  witness  out  of  the  way.  If 


96  Slaves  of  Success 

he  could  help  them,  he  would  be  helping  Bogan. 
So  he  led  the  farmer  back  into  the  police  station. 

"  Captain,"  he  said,  with  the  air  of  one  right- 
eously championing  the  weak,  "  can't  you  give  this 
man  his  watch  and  money  ?  " 

The  captain  looked  at  the  alderman  with  a  shrewd 
smile.  "  Certainly,"  he  answered. 

There  was  the  light  of  victory  in  the  alderman's 
eye. 

"  But,"  added  the  captain,  "  if  I  do,  I'll  have  to 
lock  him  up  as  a  witness." 

"Oh,  that's  a  confounded  outrage!"  cried  the 
alderman,  excitedly,  and  then  he  added,  "  What's 
the  matter  with  you,  anyway?  You  seem  to  have 
got  ugly  all  of  a  sudden." 

"  I'm  looking  out  for  my  job,"  returned  the  cap- 
tain. "  So  many  prosecuting  witnesses  have  dis- 
appeared lately  that  it  will  take  only  one  more  case 
to  have  me  before  the  trial  board  for  wilful  neglect 
of  duty.  I've  been  too  obliging." 

Alderman  Bradley  was  angry,  but  he  could  not 
blame  the  captain.  The  latter  had  suffered  in  popu- 
lar estimation  for  his  complaisance  in  heeding  the 
requests  of  men  of  local  influence,  and  it  certainly 
was  a  bad  time  to  give  grounds  for  any  further 
criticism.  While  never  directly  accused  of  "  graft- 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  97 

ing,"  the  captain  unquestionably  had  been  "  accom- 
modating "  in  the  way  of  accepting  personal  assur- 
ances that  "  it's  all  right  "  in  minor  cases,  and  many 
had  escaped  punishment  in  consequence.  Occasion- 
ally, through  some  slip,  a  prosecuting  witness  had 
appeared  in  court  the  next  day,  and  the  absence  of 
the  prisoner  had  created  unfavourable  comment. 

So  Dick  Haggin,  handy  man  politically  and 
criminally,  remained  in  his  cell  and  wondered 
where  the  hitch  was,  while  Alderman  Bradley  was 
reporting  to  Alderman  Bogan  that  there  was 
"  nothing  doing "  with  the  police,  and  the  matter 
would  have  to  be  arranged  some  other  way. 

"  He's  got  to  stay  there  to-night,"  said  Bradley. 
"  If  it  was  plain  *  disorderly '  it  might  be  different, 
but  he  was  caught  with  the  goods  on  him.  It's  a 
nasty  business,  Bogan.  I  don't  like  it  myself." 

"A  little  slip,"  said  Bogan,  indulgently.  "I 
roasted  him  for  it,  but  some  of  these  yaps  ought  to 
have  their  money  taken  away  from  them  so  that 
they  can't  tempt  good  men  to  do  wrong." 

"  That's  right,  too,"  admitted  Bradley,  who  kept 
a  saloon  where  men  were  parted  from  their  money 
with  great  cleverness,  "  but  that  doesn't  help  things 
now.  There  are  only  three  men  who  can  turn  him 
loose  to-night,  —  the  mayor,  the  chief  of  police,  and 


98  Slaves  of  Success 

the  justice,  —  and  you  know  what  kind  of  a  show 
there'd  be  with  any  one  of  them  in  a  case  like 
this." 

"  None,"  said  Bogan.  "  There  isn't  money 
enough  in  Chicago  to  get  them  to  interfere  with 
a  case  of  a  stray  dog  just  now,  unless  you  can  show 
a  real  reason  for  it.  A  hard-luck  story,  with  the 
right  kind  of  backing,  might  have  got  action  from 
one  of  them  awhile  ago,  but  —  " 

"  Not  in  a  case  of  robbery,"  put  in  Bradley.  "  It 
has  done  the  business  for  a  '  plain  drunk '  or  an 
'  innocent  spectator  '  caught  in  a  raid  now  and  then, 
but  not  for  a  man  caught  with  the  goods  on  him 
—  that  is,  not  if  they  knew  it.  I  thought  of  the 
City  Hall  end  myself.  It's  no  use,  Bogan;  you've 
got  to  leave  him  there  to-night,  and  you'd  better 
keep  your  hands  off  to-morrow." 

"I  can't,"  protested  Bogan.  "If  I  turn  him 
down,  I  might  just  as  well  pass  up  the  ward  and 
get  ready  for  trouble.  I  tell  you,  he's  been  a  handy 
man,  and  he  has  friends.  He  knows  things.  It's 
up  to  me  to  do  the  best  I  know  how,  and  he's  not 
the  only  one  watching  me,  either.  I'll  have  to  fix 
it  for  him  in  the  morning,  sure." 

"  Well,  you  don't  have  to  be  told  how,"  laughed 
Bradley. 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  99 

There  were  several  methods  of  procedure  known 
to  such  experienced  local  politicians  as  Bogan  and 
Bradley.  In  the  ordinary  course  of  events  Haggin 
would  be  held  to  the  grand  jury,  but  the  justice 
could  change  the  charge  to  "  disorderly  conduct " 
and  let  him  go  under  a  suspended  fine.  If  he  re- 
fused to  suspend  the  fine,  it  could  be  paid.  But 
there  was  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  justice 
would  be  as  difficult  to  handle  as  the  captain.  If 
the  suggestion  came  from  the  city  prosecuting 
attorney  or  one  of  his  assistants,  however,  it  would 
relieve  the  justice  of  much  of  the  responsibility.  It 
was  not  an  uncommon  thing  for  the  city  prosecutor 
to  suggest  such  a  course  when  the  evidence  did  not 
seem  strong  enough  to  convict  of  the  more  serious 
charge.  But  here  again  there  had  been  criticism, 
and,  furthermore,  the  presence  of  the  prosecuting 
witness  would  make  the  scheme  too  transparent. 

In  these  unusual  circumstances  it  seemed  unwise 
to  Bogan  to  trust  entirely  to  his  own  influence.  If 
he  tried  it  and  failed,  it  would  make  the  task  so 
much  the  more  difficult  for  another.  The  assistant 
city  prosecutor  in  that  particular  court  was  a  man 
who  owed  his  position  to  John  Wade,  one  of  the 
big  men  of  the  Republican  "  machine."  So  to  John 
Wade  Alderman  Bogan  went 


ioo  Slaves  of  Success 

"  No,"  said  Wade,  when  the  case  was  stated  to 
him. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  asked  Bogan,  bewildered ;  for  he 
had  not  expected  such  an  uncompromising  refusal, 
that  seemed  to  leave  no  room  for  argument. 

"  For  several  reasons,"  replied  Wade.  "  For 
one  thing,  the  man  is  a  Republican  under  a  Demo- 
cratic city  administration,  and  the  influence  that  put 
him  there  isn't  strong  enough  to  hold  him  in  the  face 
of  any  kind  of  a  scandal.  I  know,  because  I  had 
something  to  do  with  the  deal." 

"  There  won't  be  any  scandal,"  urged  Bogan. 
"  Who's  going  to  care  what's  done  with  Haggin  ?  " 

"  That  brings  me  to  the  second  reason,"  said 
Wade.  "  There's  a  lot  of  attention  being  given  to 
these  matters  just  now,  and  a  thing  like  that  is 
likely  to  raise  the  devil." 

"  It  won't  hurt  you,"  persisted  Bogan. 

"  That  brings  me  to  my  third  reason,"  said  Wade. 
"  It's  nasty,  dirty  politics,  and  I'll  have  nothing  to 
do  with  it.  If  you  want  to  use  hold-up  men  and 
thugs,  it's  your  business,  but  I  won't.  When  I 
have  to  mix  up  in  criminal  cases  to  win,  I'll  quit. 
I've  got  a  little  self-respect  left." 

"  That's  all  you  will  have  left  if  you  get  up  out  of 
reach  of  the  common  people,"  retorted  Bogan. 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  101 

"  I'll  take  my  chances,"  returned  Wade. 

Bogan  hesitated.  There  seemed  to  be  little  hope 
of  success  here,  but  a  great  deal  was  at  stake,  so 
he  repressed  his  anger. 

"  If  the  watch  and  money  are  returned,"  he  said, 
insinuatingly,  "  there  will  be  no  prosecuting  wit- 
ness on  hand  to-morrow,  but  the  captain  won't 
assume  the  entire  responsibility  of  returning  them. 
If  the  assistant  city  prosecutor  should  advise  it  —  " 

"  He  won't,"  broke  in  Wade,  angrily. 

"  The  yahoo  needs  the  money,"  argued  Bogan. 
"  At  the  most,  it  would  be  considered  no  more  than 
an  evidence  of  unwise  sympathy,  a  wish  to  save 
him  unnecessary  hardship  —  " 

"  If  you  use  criminals,"  exclaimed  Wade,  "  you've 
got  to  look  out  for  them  yourself!  I  won't  raise  a 
finger  to  save  a  man  from  the  consequences  of 
crime  —  that  is,  real  crime."  Wade  made  a  dis- 
tinction between  "  real  crime  "  and  "  political  of- 
fences; "  for  at  times  he  had  exerted  himself  quietly 
and  unostentatiously  to  save  men  from  the  penalties 
incurred  by  too  great  "  enthusiasm  "  for  the  success 
of  the  party,  and  he  had  not  hesitated  to  profit  by 
practices  that  he  never  sanctioned.  But  there  was 
great  consolation  for  him  in  the  fact  that  he  never 
allied  himself,  even  indirectly,  with  "  real  crime." 


IO2  Slaves  of  Success 

That  there  were  some  depths  of  practical  politics 
to  which  he  would  not  go,  gave  him  a  gratifying 
sensation  of  being  "  clean,"  and  he  had  a  certain 
amount  of  contempt  for  those  of  the  slum  wards 
who  found  it  necessary  to  interest  themselves  in 
"  dirty  cases."  Still,  he  was  not  unmindful  of  the 
value  of  their  friendship. 

Carroll,  who  shared  with  Wade  the  responsibili- 
ties of  directing  the  destinies  of  the  "  machine," 
was  not  so  particular.  His  education  had  been  in 
a  lower  stratum  of  politics,  anyway,  and  he  lacked 
-Wade's  "  fine  discrimination."  So  he  was  readily 
converted  to  Bogan's  view  of  the  case  —  the  more 
readily,  perhaps,  because  he  had  better  reason  to 
know  the  importance  of  getting  Haggin  out  of 
the  clutches  of  the  law. 

"  I  know  the  justice,"  he  said.  "  I  don't  know 
what  I  can  do  with  him,  but  I'll  try.  You  get 
some  one  to  throw  a  '  scare '  into  the  yahoo,  so 
that  he  won't  say  any  more  than  he  has  to,  if  we 
don't  succeed  in  getting  him  out  of  the  way." 

"  That's  easy,"  returned  Bogan.  "  All  he  wants 
is  a  chance  to  get  home  with  his  watch  and  money." 

"  And  see  Haggin,"  added  Carroll.  "  Tell  him 
to  keep  his  mouth  shut,  and  he'll  come  out  all 
right." 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  103 

Then  Ben  Carroll  visited  the  justice  at  his  house. 
The  justice  was  a  Republican  and  something  of  a 
politician,  although  not  a  very  active  one.  Still, 
he  knew  something  of  the  exigencies  of  politics,  and 
he  wished  to  be  "  accommodating "  so  long  as  it 
required  no  serious  dereliction  of  duty.  He  was 
assured  that  it  was  a  small  matter,  that  the  prose- 
cuting witness  had  no  wish  to  press  the  case,  and 
that  a  suspended  fine  on  a  charge  of  disorderly  con- 
duct would  answer  all  the  requirements. 

"  Why  wasn't  he  arraigned  to-day  ?  "  asked  the 
justice. 

"  Well,  it  was  rather  late  when  he  was  arrested," 
replied  Carroll,  "  and  the  case  seemed  to  require 
some  investigation.  Bogan  was  looking  after  it. 
He  thought  of  asking  to  have  the  man  admitted  to 
bail,  but  he  didn't  want  to  go  on  the  bond  hin> 
self—" 

"  And  bonds  have  to  be  good  these  days," 
laughed  the  justice,  with  the  air  of  one  who  quite 
understood  the  situation.  It  was  not  a  matter  of 
temporary  liberty,  but  of  complete  freedom. 
"  Well,  if  it's  really  a  trifling  affair,  and  no  objec- 
tion is  raised,"  he  went  on,  "  I'll  change  the  charge 
to  disorderly  conduct  and  impose  a  small  fine,  pro- 


104  Slaves  of  Success 

vided  the  suggestion  is  made  by  the  city  prosecutor. 
There  ought  not  to  be  any  trouble  about  that." 

Carroll  tried  to  explain  that  the  prosecutor  for 
that  court  was  in  an  awkward  position ;  that  it  was 
a  matter  of  political  expediency  alone,  but  he  could 
not  venture  to  make  such  a  recommendation.  The 
justice  was  instantly  suspicious. 

"  If  you  can't  convince  him,  you  can't  convince 
me,"  he  announced.  "  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  the 
thing.  You're  trying  to  mislead  me." 

Carroll  protested  that  he  had  no  thought  of  ask- 
ing anything  that  was  wrong  or  unreasonable,  but 
the  justice  held  to  his  decision :  he  would  do  noth- 
ing without  the  recommendation  of  the  city  prose- 
cutor. Even  if  his  own  judgment  dictated  the 
action  he  was  asked  to  take,  after  he  became  con- 
versant with  all  the  facts,  he  would  hesitate,  for 
the  public  had  become  suspicious  of  all  such  things, 
and  every  public  official  was  under  scrutiny.  He 
had  been  criticized  in  cases  where  his  course  was 
absolutely  justified,  and,  no  matter  what  his  personal 
opinions  or  personal  inclinations  might  be,  he  would 
not  assume  the  responsibility  for  changing  a  charge 
except  on  the  motion  of  the  proper  law  officer. 

"  That  means  the  grand  jury  for  Haggin," 
growled  Carroll,  as  he  left  the  justice's  house, 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  105 

"  and  the  grand  jury  for  Haggin  means  the  grand 
jury  for  other  people.  Confound  it!  Wade  has 
got  to  come  down  to  earth  and  do  something ! " 

It  was  getting  late  now.  Many  hours  had  many 
people  spent  working  earnestly  in  behalf  of  Dick 
Haggin,  handy  man,  and  he  was  still  behind  the 
bars.  Was  it  possible  that  a  spasmodic  reform 
agitation  had  made  the  strongest  "  pull  "  valueless  ? 
Never  before  had  it  been  so  difficult  to  get  "  a  good 
man  "  out  of  trouble,  especially  when  the  prosecut- 
ing witness  was  inclined  to  be  so  reasonable. 

Wade  was  reading  in  his  library  when  Carroll 
arrived  in  a  cab,  and  Wade  instantly  surmised  what 
was  wanted.  Except  during  a  campaign,  evening 
calls  from  Carroll  were  infrequent,  and  the  earlier 
conference  with  Bogan  was  still  fresh  in  his  mem- 
ory. He  had  expected  Bogan  to  go  to  Carroll. 
Evidently  Carroll  had  been  unable  to  adjust  matters. 

"Wade,"  said  Carroll,  "we've  got  to  get  that 
man  Haggin  out,  and  I've  done  my  share," 

"  You'll  have  to  do  it  all,"  said  Wade. 

'  The  justice  is  all  right,"  persisted  Carroll,  "  but 
he's  afraid  to  act  alone  just  now.  All  he  asks  is 
that  certain  forms  shall  be  observed.  If  the  city 
prosecutor  will  —  " 

"  The  city  prosecutor  won't,"  interrupted  Wade. 


io6  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I  told  Bogan  that,  and  I  mean  it.  I'm  no  angel, 
Carroll,  but  I  draw  the  line  at  standing  between 
the  law  and  the  thug." 

"  You've  done  worse,"  said  Carroll,  and  Wade 
winced.  He  was  an  adept  in  the  deceit  and  subter- 
fuge and  trickery  of  politics,  and  some  of  his 
methods  of  gaining  power  over  others  were  not 
compatible  with  a  high  sense  of  honour,  but  this 
was  quite  another  matter.  To  refuse  to  interfere 
with  the  administration  of  justice,  when  others  did 
not  hesitate,  gave  him  a  feeling  of  righteousness 
and  made  other  offences  seem  insignificant.  It  was 
one  thing  to  "  play  politics  "  and  quite  another  to 
protect  crime. 

"  Do  you  know  who  Haggin  is  ?  "  asked  Carroll, 
when  he  found  that  Wade  did  not  intend  to  answer 
his  last  thrust. 

"  No,  and  I  don't  care." 

"  Perhaps  you  do,"  said  Carroll,  and  his  voice 
had  a  sinister  tone.  "  Haggin  is  Dan  Nally  to 
some  people." 

Wade  was  startled.  Dan  Nally  had  been  mixed 
up  in  some  election  frauds. 

"  The  police  never  caught  him  because  they 
never  had  a  good  description  of  him  by  that  name," 
Carroll  explained.  "  They  know  Dick  Haggin,  but 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  107 

they  don't  know  Dan  Nally.  Do  you  see  now  why 
Bogan  is  so  worried?  If  Dan  Nally  talks,  it's  all 
day  with  Bogan  and  some  others  that  you  and  I 
need." 

"Let  Bogan  take  care  of  himself!"  exclaimed 
Wade.  "  Do  you  know  what  it  means  if  you  and  I 
mix  up  in  this  case  and  the  public  ever  finds  out 
who  the  man  is  ?  " 

"  I  know  what  it  means  if  we  don't,"  retorted 
Carroll.  "  It  means  that  he'll  talk  the  moment  he 
finds  he's  deserted,  that  he'll  bring  in  others.  He 
won't  reach  you,  Wade,  but  his  friends  will,  and 
the  friends  of  the  others  will.  They'll  know  how 
he  was  sacrificed  and  they  won't  forget  it.  They'll 
know  who  could  have  saved  him  and  them,  and  you 
won't  be  ace-high  to  a  yellow  dog  in  a  district  that 
you  and  I  rule  now." 

Wade  got  up  and  walked  back  and  forth.  He 
had  had  nothing  to  do,  even  indirectly,  with  the 
frauds  in  question,  but  the  district  was  one  where 
men  "  stood  by  one  another "  and  regarded  inac- 
tivity as  treachery.  The  local  leaders  were  influ- 
ential. If  any  one  failed  to  be  loyal  to  them,  ac- 
cording to  their  understanding  of  loyalty,  he  would 
be  put  down  as  an  enemy.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  very  thing  that  made  it  important  to  get  his 


io8  Slaves  of  Success 

man  out  made  it  dangerous  to  interfere.  If  the  facts 
ever  became  known,  Wade  would  be  regarded  as 
a  party  to  the  original  fraud,  and  he  prided  himself 
on  having  "  clean  hands  "  in  this  respect,  as  he  not 
infrequently  asserted.  Political  expediency  might 
point  to  one  course,  but  personal  inclination  and 
safety  pointed  to  another.  The  lower  associations 
of  politics  were  repugnant  to  him,  anyway. 

"  I  said  before,  and  I  say  again,"  he  announced 
at  last,  "  that  I  won't  lift  a  finger  to  protect  a  conv 
mon  thug." 

"  My  God !  Wade,  can't  you  see  the  conse- 
quences ?  "  cried  Carroll. 

"  I  don't  care  a  rap  for  the  consequences,"  re- 
torted Wade,  angrily.  Then  he  added,  more 
quietly :  "  You  and  I  are  supposed  to  be  bosses, 
Carroll,  but  we're  slaves.  To  hold  our  power  we 
have  to  do'  a  whole  lot  of  things  that  we  don't 
want  to  do,  and  that  we  know  we  ought  not  to  do. 
We're  slaves  to  the  men  we  think  we  boss.  We  have 
to  watch  out  for  them,  protect  them,  and  do  their 
bidding  in  most  of  the  affairs  of  life,  or  we  can't 
rule  them  in  politics.  That's  philosophizing,  Car- 
roll, and  you  may  not  understand  it,  but  you'll 
understand  this:  I've  reached  the  limit;  I've 
monkeyed  with  my  little  warped  conscience  all  that 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  109 

I  dare.  Bogan  will  have  to  handle  his  own  crime 
business.  Is  that  plain  enough?" 

"  I  think  you're  a  fool,"  was  Carroll's  reply ;  but 
both  men  spoke  bluntly  in  the  course  of  their  occa- 
sional disagreements,  and  their  alliance  did  not 
suffer  thereby.  They  could  not  afford  to  let  it 
suffer. 

Carroll  abandoned  active  work  for  that  night,  but 
he  did  a  good  deal  of  thinking.  It  was  a  desperate 
situation.  While  he  was  no  more  implicated  in  the 
actual  frauds  than  Wade,  he  had  a  deeper  interest 
in  the  men  who  were  implicated,  and  he  had  no 
scruples  against  interfering  with  the  law  so  long 
as  he  incurred  no  penalty.  Bogan  was  his  kind  of 
a  man  —  a  man  whom  he  could  use  —  and  there 
were  others  like  Bogan  who  were  in  danger.  They 
represented  a  considerable  element  of  his  political 
strength  in  one  district. 

In  consequence  Carroll  was  astir  earlier  than 
usual  the  next  morning,  and  had  a  brief  conference 
with  Bogan  before  the  time  for  the  opening  of  the 
police  court.  Bogan  plainly  showed  his  anxiety. 
The  affair  was  beginning  to  look  very  serious,  for 
no  one  could  say  when  Dick  Haggin  might  be  recog- 
nized as  Dan  Nally,  which  would  end  all  possibility 
of  escape.  And  Haggin  was  in  no  pleasant  frame 


no  Slaves  of  Success 

of  mind.  He  could  not  understand  why  his  release 
was  so  long  delayed. 

Bogan  went  from  Carroll  to  the  police  court  and 
drew  the  assistant  city  prosecutor  to  one  side. 
Court  had  not  yet  opened,  but  the  presecutor  was 
looking  over  the  docket. 

"  That  case  against  Haggin,"  said  Bogan,  "  is 
a  mistake.  I've  explained  it  to  the  judge,  and  on 
your  motion  to  change  the  charge  to  disorderly 
he'll  let  him  go  with  a  fine." 

"  It's  robbery  here,"  said  the  lawyer,  looking  at 
the  docket,  "  and  there's  a  witness  against  him 
besides  the  police." 

"  The  witness  won't  object,"  asserted  Bogan. 
"  The  man  ought  never  to  have  been  booked  on 
that  charge." 

"  In  that  case,  let  the  justice  change  it,"  returned 
the  lawyer. 

"  As  a  matter  of  form,  he  wants  the  motion  to 
come  from  the  prosecution,"  Bogan  explained. 

"  I'm  not  making  motions  of  that  kind,"  said 
the  lawyer. 

"  Wade  told  me  to  tell  you  it's  all  right,"  was 
Bogan's  next  cheerful  lie. 

The  lawyer  looked  up  at  him  sharply.  He  was 
grateful  to  Wade,  and  he  had  confidence  in  him. 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  ill 

Wade  would  not  ask  him  to  do  anything  that  would 
get  him  into  trouble,  for  he  knew  how  small  an 
excuse  would  be  required  to  separate  him  from  his 
job.  And  such  changes  were  frequently  justifiable. 
But  the  docket  showed  that  the  victim  would  appear 
against  this  man. 

"  Have  you  a  note  from  Wade  ? "  asked  the 
lawyer. 

"  Do  you  think  he'd  put  such  a  request  in  writ- 
ing?" retorted  Bogan,  thus  making  a  grievous 
mistake;  for  the  lawyer  immediately  decided  that 
the  favour  asked  was  not  such  an  innocent  one  as 
Bogan  would  have  it  appear. 

"  I  don't  believe  Wade  knows  anything  about 
it,"  he  said.  "  If  he  does,  he  can  telephone  me." 

"  I'll  have  you  out  of  this  job,"  threatened  Bogan, 
losing  his  temper.  An  alderman  is  not  accustomed 
to  such  hard  knocks  as  this  one  had  been  receiving 
since  the  previous  evening. 

"  For  refusing  to  change  a  felony  to  a  misde- 
meanour ? "  asked  the  lawyer,  coolly.  "  In  the 
present  state  of  public  feeling  you  couldn't  do  me  a 
greater  favour  than  to  make  the  facts  public." 

A  month  before,  Bogan  reflected,  as  he  hurried  to 
Haggin's  cell,  the  influence  already  brought  to  bear 
would  have  given  freedom  to  half  a  dozen  men 


112  Slaves  of  Success 

without  the  public  being  any  the  wiser  for  it;  and 
now,  when  it  was  most  important  to  secure  results, 
a  reform  scare  had  everything  tied  up  tight.  But 
he  spoke  confidently  to  Haggin.  The  right  people 
had  taken  the  matter  up,  he  said,  but  circumstances 
made  it  necessary  to  act  with  caution.  They  might 
have  to  wait  until  the  case  got  out  of  the  police 
court  before  acting.  Then  he  took  the  risk  of 
calling  Wade  up  on  the  telephone. 

"  It's  all  up  to  you,"  he  told  him.  "  Everything 
is  arranged,  and  a  word  to  the  prosecutor  will  settle 
the  business.  Shall  I  call  him  to  the  'phone  ? " 

"  No,"  replied  Wade. 

Bogan  tried  to  argue,  but  Wade  rang  off.  Then 
Bogan  swore  volubly  and  forcefully,  and  the  tenor 
of  his  remarks  was  to  the  effect  that,  no  matter  what 
happened,  John  Wade  should  have  reason  to  regret 
his  refusal  to  help  out  a  good  man.  A  drink  in  a 
near-by  refectory  served  to  calm  the  excited  alder- 
man sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  return  to  the  court- 
room without  exciting  comment. 

Even  as  he  entered,  Dick  Haggin,  handy  man, 
was  being  held  to  the  grand  jury. 

Wade  breathed  more  easily  when  he  heard  the 
news.  Whatever  the  sacrifice,  he  had  held  stead- 
fastly to  his  principles,  and  it  was  somewhat  pleasing 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  113 

to  find  that  he  still  had  principles.  Furthermore,  he 
did  not  believe  they  would  impose  any  real  loss  upon 
him.  The  scandal,  if  it  came,  would  not  touch 
him  personally,  and  those  most  imbittered  by  his 
course  were  not  likely  to  have  much  time  for 
schemes  of  revenge.  Carroll  might  sulk  a  little, 
merely  for  effect,  but  Carroll  was  a  practical  man 
who  looked  out  for  his  own  interests,  and  their 
alliance  was  not  one  of  sentiment.  Nor  would 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  party  in  the  district  affected 
remain  true  very  long  to  lost  leaders  of  a  lost  cause. 
All  in  all,  he  could  see  where  there  was  a  chance  of 
gaining,  instead  of  losing,  prestige.  But  Wade,  the 
astute,  overlooked  one  little  thing:  the  game  was 
not  finished.  Haggin  was  in  the  county  jail,  await- 
ing trial,  but  he  was  still  only  Haggin.  Until  he 
became  Dan  Nally  there  was  hope,  and  hope  meant 
earnest  effort.  His  friends  were  true  to  him.  They 
had  been  told  that  Wade  had  proved  false,  and 
Wade  had  felt  the  effect,  for  the  local  leaders,  who 
had  the  deepest  interest  in  the  man's  escape,  were 
still  in  power.  Somehow  he  had  expected  that 
little  detail  of  the  "  machine  "  to  crumble  and  give 
him  a  chance  to  reconstruct.  If  it  did  not,  his  princi- 
ples were  likely  to  weaken  him  more  than  he  had 
anticipated.  But  he  was  sure  the  crash  would  come 


114  Slaves  of  Success 

in  time,  for  Haggin  would  never  go  to  the  peni- 
tentiary without  taking  others  with  him.  Wade 
had  nothing  personally  against  these  men,  but  the 
view  they  took  of  his  course  made  their  political 
destruction  necessary  for  his  preservation.  And 
he  was  surprised  to  find  himself  criticized  in 
quarters  where  he  had  least  expected  it.  As  a 
matter  of  political  expediency  many  of  those  on 
the  inside  held  that  Haggin  should  have  been 
rescued  at  any  cost.  Of  course,  these  were  friends 
of  others  in  jeopardy,  but  Wade  did  not  know  that 
the  latter  had  friends  in  so  many  places.  In  brief, 
he  began  to  worry. 

Then  came  Senator  Abbey  post-haste  from 
Springfield.  Senator  Abbey  was  from  the  district 
where  the  trouble  was  brewing,  and  he  was  a  man 
of  some  influence  in  the  Legislature.  He  worked 
with  the  "  machine,"  but  he  was  in  a  position  to 
exercise  independent  judgment,  and  neither  Car- 
roll nor  Wade  could  claim  him  as  "  his  man." 
Therefore  he  was  a  man  to  be  propitiated  in  any 
reasonable  way. 

Senator  Abbey  was  white-hot  when  he  found 
Wade  —  so  hot  that  he  did  not  greet  him  with  the 
deference  due  to  his  party  power. 

"  You've  played  hell ! "  he  announced,   shortly. 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  115 

"  Here's  this  man  held  to  the  grand  jury,  indicted, 
and  his  case  coming  to  trial  in  a  day  or  so,  and  I 
never  heard  of  it  until  now." 

"  Why  should  you  hear  of  it  ?  "  asked  Wade. 

"  Why  should  I  hear  of  it !  "  cried  the  Senator. 
"  It's  in  my  Senatorial  district,  isn't  it?  Do  you 
think  I  want  that  torn  wide  open  ?  This  thing  has 
got  to  be  fixed ! " 

"  Well,  fix  it,"  retorted  Wade.  "  Some  of  you 
people  seem  to  think  you  can  do  anything,  flirt 
with  any  kind  of  lawlessness  or  crime,  and  then 
call  on  me.  Where  did  you  get  the  idea  that  I  was 
under  the  orders  of  every  fool  who  wants  to  make 
a  convenience  of  me  ?  " 

"  You're  a  nice  kind  of  a  man  to  be  asking  favours 
of  the  party !  "  exclaimed  the  Senator,  sarcastically. 
"  What  kind  of  a  chance  do  you  think  you've  got 
of  going  to  the  United  States  Senate?  Why,  a 
turtle  could  make  a  better  run  than  you  after 
this!" 

"  Who  said  I  wanted  to  go  to  the  Senate  ?  "  de- 
manded Wade. 

"  Oh,  it  isn't  generally  known,  but  there  are  a  few 
wise  ones  at  Springfield  who  can  see  things  when 
their  eyes  are  open,"  returned  the  Senator.  "  You 
haven't  been  framing  things  up  for  the  mere  joy 


1 1 6  Slaves  of  Success 

of  doing  it.  But  there's  one  thing  sure:  you  can 
straighten  this  tangle  or  consider  eight  or  ten  votes 
lost  to  you  at  the  very  least.  You  know  me! " 

Senator  Abbey  quiescent  would  count  for  only 
one  vote,  but  Senator  Abbey  active  could  ring  up 
several  votes  one  way  or  the  other.  He  was  strong 
in  the  State  Senate,  and  the  members  of  the  Lower 
House  from  the  same  district  would  feel  much  as 
he  did,  and  be  guided  largely  by  his  course.  An- 
other election  would  intervene  before  the  culmina- 
tion of  Wade's  plan;  but  some,  and  possibly  all, 
of  these  men  would  be  returned.  Abbey  would  be 
reflected  almost  to  a  certainty,  even  if  the  power 
of  some  of  the  district  leaders  crumbled. 

Wade  thought  of  all  this  as  he  looked  dreamily 
out  of  the  window.  He  had  not  expected  Spring- 
field to  take  so  deep  an  interest  in  the  matter,  and 
it  made  his  "  principles  "  look  more  costly  than  he 
had  believed  possible.  The  one  great  ambition  of 
his  life  might  rest  on  the  decision  of  that  mo- 
ment. 

"  Are  you  with  me?  "  he  asked  at  last. 

"  Conditionally,"  replied  the  Senator,  and  Wade 
nodded.  He  knew  what  it  meant.  Politics  is  like 
speculation  on  a  board  of  trade ;  it  does  not  take  a 
spoken  or  a  written  word  to  make  a  bargain.  "  You 


The  Slavery  of  a  Boss  117 

will  be  stronger  in  the  Legislature  and  in  my  district 
than  you  ever  were  before,"  the  Senator  added. 

"  The  case  will  come  to  trial  before  Judge  Lam- 
son,"  Wade  mused.  "  Lamson  is  one  of  the  few 
politicians  on  the  bench.  Lamson  is  ambitious. 
Lamson  is  always  grateful  for  favours  yet  to  come. 
Lamson  knows  how  he  happens  to  be  a  jud^e.  I 
shall  lunch  with  Lamson  to-morrow,  Senator,  and 
I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you  a  little  later." 

The  Senator  was  on  hand  promptly,  and  he  found 
Wade  in  a  reflective  mood. 

"  I  am  a  boss,"  said  Wade,  with  whimsical  bit- 
terness. "  The  newspapers  say  so  and  the  people 
say  so.  I  rule,  but  there  is  no  man  among  those 
I  rule  who  has  not  more  independence  than  I.  The 
one  little  principle  that  I  had  nurtured  for  my  own 
gratification  is  taken  from  me  by  a  common  thug. 
I  bow  supinely  to  him;  he  is  my  master." 

"  What  becomes  of  him?  "  broke  in  the  Senator. 

"  Oh,  as  to  that,"  replied  Wade,  "  he  has  been 
wise  to  keep  his  mouth  shut  so  long.  Bogan  and 
Bradley  can  work  a  pardon  from  the  House  of 
Correction,  and  that's  where  he  will  be  sent.  Some- 
how the  judge  does  not  seem  to  think  him  a  proper 
candidate  for  the  penitentiary.  The  judge  is  a 


1 1 8  Slaves  of  Success 

warm-hearted  and  sympathetic  man,  Senator,  and 
he  knows  how  to  change  the  necessary  switch  to 
run  a  fellow  off  the  penitentiary  track.  He  has  done 
it  before." 


V. 
A   STRATEGICAL   DEFEAT 

BEN  CARROLL  was  a  warrior,  John  Wade  was  a 
strategist,  and  Helen  R.  Trumbull  was  a  very  clever 
woman.  It  naturally  followed  that  there  was 
trouble  when  their  interests  clashed. 

Secure  in  his  own  strength,  Carroll  was  rough 
and  aggressive.  He  had  no  use  for  women  in 
politics,  and  he  had  no  hesitation  in  saying  so. 
Wade  took  much  the  same  view  of  the  matter,  but 
he  did  not  say  so.  When  there  were  enemies  to  be 
made,  Wade  was  quite  willing  to  permit  Carroll  to 
do  the  making.  It  was  not  that  Wade  could  not  be 
forceful  and  uncompromising  when  there  was 
occasion,  for  he  had  tamed  many  strong  men,  but 
he  chose  to  avoid  the  necessity  as  far  as  possible. 
Carroll  said  they  didn't  want  any  petticoats  mixed 
up  in  State  politics,  while  Wade  used  more  diplo- 
matic language. 

"  In  politics,"  said  Wade,  "  women  may  be 
119 


I2O  Slaves  of  Success 

divided  into  three  classes.  First,  there  is  the  politi- 
cian, and  there  is  no  more  unscrupulous  politician 
living  than  an  ambitious  woman.  Second,  there 
is  the  impressionable  dame  who  acts  on  impulse, 
and  no  living  man  can  tell  what  she  will  do  in  any 
situation.  Third,  there  is  the  aggressively  independ- 
ent creature  who  believes  in  herself  absolutely,  and 
you  might  as  well  talk  to  a  stone  wall  as  to  talk  to 
her  after  her  mind  is  made  up.  The  first  is  treacher- 
ous, the  second  is  unreliable,  and  the  third  is  un- 
certain." 

"  To  which  class  does  this  Mrs.  Trumbull  be- 
long? "  asked  Carroll. 

"  The  third,  I  think,"  replied  Wade.  "  I  do  not 
understand  that  she  has  any  wish  to  rival  man  in 
politics,  so  you  won't  find  her  scheming  for  personal 
or  party  advantage,  and  she  is  not  the  kind  of  a 
woman  who  will  judge  of  a  measure  by  the  smile 
or  the  moustache  or  the  deferential  manner  of  the 
man  who  introduces  it.  So  she  must  come  in  the 
third  classification.  She  has  been  quite  active  in 
charitable  matters,  and  is  on  the  boards  of  several 
institutions.  She  is  not  going  to  be  easy  to  con- 
vince." 

"  Why  nominate  her?  "  asked  Carroll. 

"  Her  husband,"  said  Wade,  "  is  John  N.  Trum- 


A  Strategical  Defeat  121 

bull,  and  you  don't  have  to  be  told  that  John  N. 
Trumbull  is  a  man  of  considerable  influence.  John 
is  very  proud  of  his  wife.  Some  men  prefer  to 
keep  their  wives  out  of  public  life,  but  John  doesn't. 
A  few  years  ago  he  might  have  taken  a  different 
view  of  the  thing,  but  she  has  gained  an  enviable 
reputation  as  a  woman  of  sense,  practical  sympa- 
thies, and  executive  ability.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that  she  has  done  a  great  deal  of  good  in  educational 
and  charitable  lines,  and  he  has  come  to  think  that 
her  election  as  a  trustee  of  the  State  University 
would  be  no  more  than  a  fitting  recognition  of  her 
services.  It  is  an  honour  that  he  wishes  her  to  have. 
Now,  you  may  think  it  wise  to  offend  John,  but  I 
don't.  Besides,  we  have  no  great  use  for  the  Board 
of  Trustees  of  the  State  University." 

"  There  is  something  doing  there  once  in  awhile," 
grumbled  Carroll. 

"  Nothing  of  any  great  importance,"  returned 
Wade.  "  And  you  ought  to  be  the  last  man  to 
create  any  disturbance  at  this  time,  Carroll.  It  is 
your  plan  to  nominate  Tim  Mather  for  Clerk  of  the 
State  Supreme  Court,  and  there  is  going  to  be  the 
devil  of  a  row  over  that.  Tim  is  no  man  for  the 
place.  He  hasn't  the  kind  of  a  record  that  will 
make  the  judges  trust  him,  for  the  clerk  of  that 


122  Slaves  of  Success 

court  has  the  custody  of  decisions,  and  advance 
knowledge  of  them  that  can  be  used  advantageously 
in  some  instances.  There  will  be  a  great  roar  about 
that.  I  have  an  idea  that  nothing  but  the  presence 
of  Trumbull's  wife  on  the  same  ticket  will  keep 
Trumbull's  mouth  shut.  He  will  hesitate  to  be  very 
aggressive  when  success  depends  so  largely  on 
you." 

"  You  have  a  great  head,  Wade,"  Carroll  asserted, 
admiringly. 

So  Helen  R.  Trumbull  became  a  trustee  of  the 
State  University,  and  Tim  Mather  became  Clerk 
of  the  State  Supreme  Court,  but  in  both  cases  there 
was  dissatisfaction.  The  outcry  against  Mather 
was  long  and  loud,  but  Trumbull's  voice  was  not 
heard  in  public,  although  privately  he  was  very 
bitter.  As  he  was  a  lawyer,  he  had  a  deeper  interest 
in  the  matter  than  many  others  who  did  not  hesitate 
to  make  themselves  heard. 

"  Why  don't  you  speak  out  ?  "  some  one  asked 
him  during  the  campaign. 

"What's  the  use?"  he  replied,  weakly,  "the 
nomination  is  made.  Of  course  I  shall  vote  against 
him." 

"  Will  you  authorize  me  to  make  that  fact 
public?" 


A  Strategical  Defeat  123 

"  Noo.  It  wouldn't  do  any  good.  He'll  run 
behind  the  ticket,  but  he  can't  fail  to  be  elected." 

In  the  case  of  Mrs.  Trumbull,  there  could  be  no 
doubt  of  the  dissatisfaction  of  Carroll.  He  permitted 
her  to  be  nominated  as  a  matter  of  political  expe- 
diency, but  the  permission  was  not  given  graciously. 
He  was  not  a  successful  dissembler,  even  when  he 
saw  the  wisdom  of  trying  to  dissemble,  and  he  was 
in  no  sense  a  ladies'  man.  In  his  effort  to  hide  the 
fact  that  he  was  not  at  ease  in  the  society  of  ladies 
he  was  brusque  almost  to  the  point  of  discourtesy, 
thinking  that  he  thereby  gave  an  impression  of 
independence  and  strength.  Mrs.  Trumbull  saw 
little  of  him,  and  she  was  not  favourably  impressed 
by  the  little  she  saw.  There  was  nothing  personal 
in  his  ill-concealed  feeling  of  antagonism,  for  she 
had  heard  him  excuse  another's  affront  to  a  woman 
then  serving  on  the  board,  by  asking,  roughly, 
"Well,  what's  she  doing  in  politics,  anyway?" 
By  nature  and  training  he  was  opposed  to  the  whole 
idea,  but  he  had  to  be  quiescent.  Trustees  were 
elected  for  a  term  of  six  years,  a  third  of  the  full 
board  of  nine  being  named  at  each  biennial  election, 
and  a  precedent  had  been  established  for  putting  up 
one  woman  and  two  men  each  time.  Carroll  felt 
that  this  "  fool  precedent,"  as  he  termed  it,  robbed 


124  Slaves  of  Success 

him  of  some  of  the  fruits  of  political  success,  but 
Wade  had  made  it  plain  that  Mrs.  Trumbull  would 
have  to  be  accepted  in  this  instance.  So  Carroll 
remained  passive,  although  his  resentment  was  not 
unobserved  by  those  most  interested. 

Wade,  on  the  other  hand,  made  the  best  of  the 
situation.  He  also  preferred  men  to  women  in 
politics,  and  he  also  feared  that  Mrs.  Trumbull 
would  prove  a  very  difficult  proposition,  but  the 
office  was  politically  unimportant,  and  there  was 
no  reason  to  believe  that  any  of  his  plans  ever 
would  depend  upon  her  influence  or  vote.  The 
custody  and  investment  of  the  funds  of  the  univer- 
sity involved  some  business  favours  that  it  was 
within  the  power  of  the  board  to  grant  or  with- 
hold, and  there  was  a  trifling  amount  of  patronage 
connected  with  the  business  administration  of  the 
institution,  but  for  the  practical  politician  there  was 
little  to  be  expected.  So,  when  Wade  discovered 
that  John  Trumbull  was  ambitious  for  his  wife,  he 
readily  saw  that  greater  advantage  lay  in  champion- 
ing her  cause  than  in  opposing  it.  The  nomination 
would  be  a  popular  one  —  so  popular,  in  fact,  that 
it  would  require  considerable  work  to  defeat  it,  and 
the  man  responsible  for  defeat  would  incur  the 
enmity  of  many  women,  and  of  at  least  one  man 


A  Strategical  Defeat  125 

with  influence.  While  Wade  was  opposed  to  woman 
in  politics,  he  knew  the  advantage  of  having  the 
championship  of  the  woman  who  passes  her  senti- 
ments to  her  husband  with  his  breakfast  coffee. 
She  does  not  care  much  about  voting,  but  whenever 
she  feels  deeply,  her  views  are  very  likely  to  be  re- 
flected by  some  one  who  does  vote.  Wade  wanted 
to  stand  well  in  her  estimation,  and  he  wanted  to 
stand  well  in  the  estimation  of  John  Trumbull. 
He  saw  the  course  events  were  taking  some  time 
before  he  had  his  conversation  with  Carroll,  and 
he  straightway  made  arrangements  to  be  the  first  at 
the  goal.  In  other  words,  having  learned  how  Mr. 
Trumbull  felt  about  it  before  any  definite  plans  were 
made,  he  hastened  to  suggest  Mrs.  Trumbull's  can- 
didacy. 

"  To  be  a  trustee  of  the  State  University,"  he 
told  Trumbull,  "  is  an  honour  of  which  any  woman 
may  well  be  proud.  There  has  been  some  incidental 
mention  of  your  wife  in  that  connection,  but  nothing 
definite  as  yet." 

"  I  believe  there  has  been  some  talk  of  it  at  the 
Woman's  Qub,"  admitted  Trumbull,  beaming  with 
gratification. 

"  An  indorsement  by  the  Woman's  Club  would  be 
an  excellent  thing,"  returned  Wade,  "but  it  isn't 


126  Slaves  of  Success 

really  necessary.  Your  wife  is  so  widely  and 
favourably  known  as  a  result  of  her  charitable  work, 
that  she  practically  has  the  indorsement  of  the  whole 
public.  If  I  have  your  assurance  that  she  will  ac- 
cept the  nomination,  I  think  that  I  can  promise  you 
positively  that  it  will  be  given  to  her.  At  any  rate, 
I  shall  be  glad  to  interest  myself  actively  in  the 
matter,  for  I  am  one  of  her  sincere  admirers." 

With  years  of  training  Carroll  would  not  have 
been  equal  to  this  bit  of  diplomacy,  and  Wade  had 
not  deemed  it  necessary  to  tell  him  about  it  when 
explaining  why  the  nomination  would  have  to  be 
made.  There  were  other  and  better  ways  of  in- 
ducing Carroll  to  take  the  right  view  of  the  matter. 
But  Wade  had  made  his  point;  he  had  earned  the 
gratitude  of  a  valuable  man  simply  by  making  the 
best  of  an  unsatisfactory  situation,  and  he  followed 
this  up  by  making  a  favourable  impression  upon 
the  valuable  man's  wife.  It  was  a  comparatively 
small  matter;  there  were  other  nominations  in 
which  both  he  and  Carroll  had  a  much  deeper 
interest;  but  Wade  had  gained  many  advantages 
by  giving  attention  to  the  minor  details  of  a  cam- 
paign. So  far  as  outward  bearing  went,  he  was  a 
gentleman.  The  exigencies  of  practical  politics 
might  lead  him  to  do  a  great  many  ungentlemanly 


A  Strategical  Defeat  127 

things,  but  he  knew  how  to  be  deferential  and 
courteous,  and  he  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost  to 
be  "  clever "  to  Mrs.  Trumbull  in  the  little  inter- 
course he  had  with  her  during  and  after  the  cam- 
paign. He  made  helpful  suggestions,  he  exerted 
himself  to  be  obliging,  he  was  the  first  to  congratu- 
late her  on  her  nomination,  and  the  first  to  send 
her  definite  news  of  her  election,  he  adjourned  a  com- 
mittee meeting  when  he  learned  that  she  was  wait- 
ing to  see  him,  he  arranged  for  an  informal 
conference  with  other  members  of  the  Board  of 
Trustees. 

"  I  have  heard  such  disagreeable  things  about 
him,"  she  told  her  husband,  "  that  it  is  a  delightful 
surprise  to  find  him  so  much  of  a  gentleman.  He 
is  totally  unlike  that  uncouth  Carroll." 

But  Mrs.  Trumbull  could  be  gracious  without 
being  weak.  She  showed  her  appreciation  of  courte- 
sies extended  without  being  blind  to  the  duties  of 
her  position.  She  had  been  elected  to  office  to  use 
her  own  judgment,  and  she  would  not  accept  any 
one's  assurance  that  "  it's  all  right."  She  wanted  to 
know  for  herself  the  reason  for  this  or  that  action ; 
she  had  to  be  convinced,  and  she  was  not  easy  to 
convince.  Those  who  had  dealings  with  the  board 
found  her  as  coldly  practical  as  a  man,  and  she  had 


128  Slaves  of  Success 

the  advantage  of  being  able  to  give  her  whole  time 
to  her  duties,  while  the  men  had  other  interests 
to  claim  the  greater  share  of  their  attention.  They 
did  not  think  they  were  careless,  but  they  were,  for 
they  did  not  seek  to  remedy  the  unbusinesslike 
conditions  that  they  found  to  exist.  Why  should 
they?  No  one  was  complaining,  and  it  was  much 
easier  to  accept  things  as  they  were. 

To  attempt  any  radical  change  would  be  a  thank- 
less task,  calling  for  time  and  labour  on  the  part  of 
some  individual  member  of  the  board,  and  there 
was  no  feeling  of  individual  responsibility.  An 
impersonal  board  was  responsible.  An  impersonal 
board  can  follow  the  methods  of  other  impersonal 
boards  when  an  individual  would  not  dare  to  do  so. 
And  some  members  of  this  board  had  been  slightly 
inoculated  with  the  germ  of  politics. 

But  Mrs.  Trumbull  cared  nothing  at  all  about 
politics,  and  she  did  care  about  investigating  every- 
thing that  was  to  be  investigated.  The  university 
trusteeship  was  no  minor  consideration  with  her; 
it  was  all-important.  She  worried  the  men. 

"  I  would  like  to  know  more  about  the  finances 
of  the  institution,"  she  announced  one  day. 

"  We  have  the  treasurer's  report,"  explained  one 
of  the  other  trustees. 


A  Strategical  Defeat  129 

"  The  treasurer  is  a  private  banker,"  she  re- 
turned. "  He  is  supposed  to  have  in  his  possession 
valuable  negotiable  securities  belonging  to  the  uni- 
versity. Has  he  got  them  ?  " 

"  Why,  of  course." 

"  I'd  like  to  see  them."  Some  of  the  other  trus- 
tees looked  disgusted  and  weary. 

"  As  near  as  I  can  make  out,"  Mrs.  Trumbull 
went  on,  "  the  auditing  of  the  treasurer's  reports 
has  been  no  more  than  a  formality  for  several  years. 
We  are  informed  that  he  has  made  certain  invest- 
ments, that  he  holds  various  securities,  but  what 
proof  is  there  of  it?  " 

"  Interest  and  dividends  have  been  paid 
promptly." 

"  Well,  I'd  like  to  see  something  that  represents 
the  principal,"  she  asserted. 

"  I  have  no  doubt,"  said  Trustee  Atkinson,  sarcas- 
tically, "  that  if  Mrs.  Trumbull  will  go  to  Mr. 
Hackley  at  his  Chicago  bank,  he  will  be  pleased  to 
give  her  all  the  evidence  necessary  to  reassure  her. 
But  I  am  willing  to  rely  on  his  business  reputation, 
backed  by  his  bond  as  treasurer." 

Mrs.  Trumbull  looked  to  see  whether  she  had 
the  support  of  any  other  trustee,  but  one  only  was 


130  Slaves  of  Success 

nodding  gravely  and  thoughtfully,  and  even  he  did 
not  speak. 

"  Very  well,"  she  said  at  last.  "  I  shall  object 
to  accepting  the  treasurer's  report  until  this  board 
knows  of  its  own  knowledge  that  the  securities  are 
where  they  are  supposed  to  be,  and  I  shall  make 
public  the  reasons  for  my  action." 

There  was  a  mild  sensation  when  a  rumour  of 
what  had  happened  at  the  university  reached 
Chicago.  Action  on  the  treasurer's  report  had  been 
deferred  for  two  weeks,  and  an  effort  was  made 
to  hush  the  matter  up  temporarily,  but  a  hint  was 
given  to  some  of  those  interested.  Wade  only 
laughed,  but  Carroll  swore.  Carroll  received  his 
first  information  from  Treasurer  Hackley,  and 
Treasurer  Hackley  was  very  excited. 

"  It  will  bust  the  bank,"  he  said. 

"  What !  "  cried  Carroll,  "  haven't  you  got  those 
securities  ?  " 

"Not  all  of  them,"  replied  Hackley,  "but  I'll 
have  them  within  sixty  days.  I  used  them  to  secure 
a  claim  that  was  making  trouble  for  me  —  just  to 
tide  over,  you  know.  It's  been  a  pretty  hard  time 
for  the  small  banks,  and  I  had  some  losses,  but 
I'm  coming  out  all  right  now.  Just  keep  her  away 
for  sixty  days.  You  can  do  it." 


A  Strategical   Defeat  131 

"Not  for  me!"  retorted  Carroll.  "You  don't 
catch  me  in  any  banking  scandals.  It's  risky  enough 
for  me  in  politics." 

"  You're  on  my  bond,  Carroll,"  suggested 
Hackley. 

"  I'd  like  to  break  your  neck !  "  roared  Carroll. 

"  I  gave  you  a  little  stock  for  your  good  offices 
in  that  and  some  other  matters,"  persisted  Hackley. 
"  If  I  go  up  now,  you're  caught  two  ways  —  as 
a  stockholder  in  the  bank  and  as  one  of  my  bonds- 
men. You'd  better  see  what  you  can  do." 

Carroll  said  many  harsh  things,  but  he  went  to 
the  bank  with  Hackley  and  investigated  the  situa- 
tion. He  didn't  know  much  about  banking,  but 
there  seemed  to  be  a  fair  chance  for  Hackley  to  pull 
through,  and  Carroll  promised  to  see  what  could  be 
done.  A  little  delay,  he  told  himself,  might  enable 
him  to  get  rid  of  his  interest  in  the  bank,  and  pos- 
sibly would  give  him  a  chance  to  get  off  the  bond. 
But  it  would  not  do  for  him  to  appear  in  the  matter 
personally. 

Carroll  went  to  Wade  first,  for  he  fully  appre- 
ciated the  fact  that  Wade  was  the  strategist  and 
possessed  the  ingenious  resourcefulness  necessary 
in  such  a  situation.  He  stated  frankly  that  he 
wanted  the  proposed  investigation  postponed.  Wade 


132  Slaves  of  Success 

did  not  ask  why ;  he  could  make  a  good  guess,  and 
it  occurred  to  him  that  his  time  had  come  to  speak 
out  plainly.  He  knew  inferentially  that  what  was 
asked  of  him  was  not  honest,  but  he  could  easily 
console  what  was  left  of  his  conscience  with  the 
thought  that  it  might  save  the  bank  and  the  bank's 
depositors.  Besides,  he  was  ready  to  sacrifice  some- 
thing in  playing  for  a  big  stake. 

"  There  are  three  ways  that  it  might  be  done, 
but  none  of  them  is  sure,"  he  said. 

"  What  are  they?  "  asked  Carroll.  "  I  can  think 
of  only  one." 

Wade  waited  a  moment,  and  then  asked,  "  What 
do  I  get  out  of  it,  Carroll  ?  " 

"  You  know  you  can  count  on  me  for  anything," 
replied  Carroll. 

"  I  know  that  I  can  count  on  you  for  anything 
that  you  can't  dodge,"  retorted  Wade.  "  I  haven't 
forgotten  how  you  tried  to  turn  me  down  in  that 
Craig  matter." 

"  Ancient  history,"  asserted  Carroll.  "  What  do 
you  want  ? " 

"  I  want  to  be  United  States  Senator,"  said  Wade, 
deliberately.  "  You  know  that." 

"  I've  seen  some  indications  of  it,"  admitted 
Carroll.  "  A  fellow  who's  watching  politics  gets 


A  Strategical  Defeat  133 

to  know  things  without  being  told.  But  that's  for 
the  next  Legislature  to  settle." 

"  No,  it  isn't,"  returned  Wade.  "  It's  for  you  and 
me  to  settle  right  now.  I've  got  things  pretty  well 
framed  up,  Carroll,  —  better  than  you  know,  —  and 
I  think  I  can  make  it.  But  I  want  you  to  take  off 
your  coat  and  work  for  me ;  I  want  your  men  in  the 
next  Legislature  to  be  my  men." 

Carroll  scowled  and  hesitated,  for  certain  of  his 
personal  plans  were  affected. 

"  I'm  pretty  friendly  to  the  man  who  wants  to 
succeed  himself,"  he  said,  finally. 

"  No,  you're  not,"  retorted  Wade,  decisively. 
"  You're  pretty  friendly  to  Ben  Carroll,  and  you 
don't  want  to  commit  yourself  until  you  see  where 
you  can  make  the  best  deal.  You  think  it's  a  little 
early  to  tie  yourself  up,  Carroll,  but  you've  got  to 
do  it." 

The  two  men  looked  at  each  other  as  if  each 
would  penetrate  the  inmost  thoughts  of  the  other. 
Perhaps  they  did.  At  any  rate,  the  moment  of 
silence  seemed  to  clear  the  situation. 

"  Fix  this  thing  up,"  said  Carroll,  "  and  I'll  be 
with  you.  What  are  the  three  ways  ?  " 

"  First,  get  a  majority  of  the  board  on  your  side," 
explained  Wade.  "  Most  of  the  members  are  satis- 


134  Slaves  of  Success 

fied  and  do  not  want  to  be  bothered,  but  the  easiest 
way  to  settle  a  disagreeable  matter  is  to  agree  with 
Mrs.  Trumbull.  Still,  if  one  of  them  suggested  a 
specific  date  for  an  annual  examination  of  the 
finances  of  the  institution,  it  may  not  be  difficult  to 
compromise  on  that  basis,  and  the  date  could  be  put 
far  enough  ahead  to  suit  your  purpose.  Second, 
discourage  Mrs.  Trumbull.  If  she  should  drop  the 
matter,  no  one  else  would  press  it.  Third,  get 
Hackley  out  of  the  way  before  any  demand  can  be 
made  on  him.  The  third  is  a  last  resort,  for  it 
would  create  disagreeable  comment,  but  it  would 
be  temporarily  effective.  The  securities  and  ac- 
counts are  in  his  personal  custody  and  not  in  the 
custody  of  the  bank." 

"  I  don't  like  that  plan,"  said  Carroll,  for  he 
feared  that,  although  there  was  no  suspicion  as 
yet,  Hackley's  absence  might  create  one.  Besides, 
Hackley's  presence  might  be  necessary  to  adjust 
matters  at  his  bank.  "  How  would  you  discourage 
Mrs.  Trumbull?" 

"  She  is  more  interested  in  her  charities  than  in 
anything  else,"  said  Wade.  Then  he  added,  sig- 
nificantly :  "  A  county  board  member  was  com- 
plaining the  other  day  of  the  number  of  waifs  the 
Home  for  Women  has  been  delivering  to  the  county. 


A  Strategical  Defeat  135 

The  Home  for  Women  has  a  children's  ward  that 
is  overcrowded,  but  the  county  has  nothing  to  do 
with  that.  The  doorstep  of  the  Home  for  Women 
seems  to  be  a  favourite  place  for  those  who  wish  to 
desert  babies.  Why  should  the  county  take  them? 
Mrs.  Trumbull  would  do  almost  anything  rather 
than  have  her  pet  institution  and  the  babies  suffer." 

"  That  ought  to  bring  her  to  time,  if  she  under- 
stood it,"  admitted  Carroll,  "  and  she  could  be  made 
to  understand  it  through  her  husband.  Higbie  could 
see  to  that.  And  she  can't  expect  us  to  be  clever 
to  her  if  she  makes  trouble  for  us.  But  —  well,  I'd 
rather  do  it  some  other  way." 

"  I'm  advising  nothing,"  said  Wade.  "  It's  an 
ugly  situation  for  you,  and  I'm  telling  you  what 
can  be  done.  The  better  way,  of  course,  is  to  work 
it  through  the  Board  of  Trustees,  for  I  can  help  you 
personally  in  that  plan." 

As  a  result  of  the  details  Wade  then  gave  various 
things  happened.  Carroll  had  an  unsatisfactory  talk 
with  Trustee  Atkinson. 

"  It's  foolishness,  of  course,"  said  Atkinson,  "  but 
she  has  made  such  a  rumpus  about  it  that  I  don't 
care  to  take  the  lead  in  any  plan  to  postpone  an 
investigation,  but  you  can  count  on  my  vote." 

Higbie,  acting  under  Carroll's  instructions,  had 


136  Slaves  of  Success 

even  less  success  with  Trustee  Jarvis,  the  man  who 
had  given  Mrs.  Trumbull  slight  encouragement  by 
the  grave  and  thoughtful  way  he  had  listened  to 
her  at  the  previous  meeting  of  the  board. 

"  Mrs.  Trumbull  asked  me,"  said  Jarvis,  "  if  I 
would  be  satisfied  with  such  methods  in  my  own 
business,  and  I  had  to  admit  that  I  would  not.  In 
view  of  the  circumstances  I  have  decided  that  I 
will  vote  for  an  immediate  and  thorough  auditing 
by  the  full  board.  It  is  a  good  idea  to  make  it  an 
annual  affair,  but  I  shall  be  with  Mrs.  Trumbull  in 
her  present  demand." 

Higbie  also  went  to  see  Mr.  Trumbull,  but  the 
latter  seemed  to  be  only  amused. 

"  If  you  think  my  wife  is  acting  under  my  advice," 
he  said,  "  you  are  mistaken.  I  have  given  her  cer- 
tain information  in  relation  to  business  methods, 
when  she  has  asked  for  it,  but  that  is  all.  She  is 
running  this  thing  herself,  and  she's  a  pretty  smart 
woman.  I  may  say  that  I  admire  her  myself,"  and 
Mr.  Trumbull  chuckled  pleasantly.  It  was  a  good 
joke  to  him,  but  not  to  the  others. 

"  Good  Lord !  "  cried  Carroll,  "  is  one  woman 
better  and  stronger  than  three  men?  Doesn't  our 
experience  count  for  anything?  Are  we  to  be 
crowded  off  the  political  earth  by  a  bunch  of  petti- 


A  Strategical   Defeat  137 

coats  that  doesn't  know  a  ward  meeting  from  a 
charity  board?  Well,  it's  up  to  you,  Wade." 

So  Wade  went  to  see  his  country  legislative 
friend,  Azro  Craig,  who  happened  to  be  very  close 
to  Trustee  Breen.  But  Craig  had  become  suspi- 
cious. 

"  You're  all  right,  Jack,"  he  said,  "  but  you  got 
your  fingers  in  too  many  pies.  Why  don't  you  let 
folks  look  after  their  own  business?  " 

Wade  made  a  feeble  explanation  to  the  effect  that 
Mrs.  Trumbull  was  unreasonable  and  that  she  would 
have  to  be  tamed  in  this  instance  or  she  would  keep 
the  university  board  in  a  turmoil  all  the  time. 

"  I  ain't  never  got  so  foolish  as  to  go  into  the 
business  of  tamin'  women,"  retorted  Craig. 

Wade  persisted.  There  was  nothing  at  stake, 
he  said,  except  a  question  of  precedent  and  policy, 
and  all  that  was  necessary  was  to  get  some  one  like 
Breen  to  take  the  initiative.  If  Mrs.  Trumbull  won 
now,  it  never  would  be  possible  to  hold  her  down 
to  systematic  procedure ;  she  would  follow  an  erratic 
fancy  in  everything  and  become  a  disturbing  ele- 
ment. 

"  When  a  lot  of  men  are  ag'in  one  woman,"  said 
Craig,  "  I'm  with  the  woman,  an'  I'm  ashamed  o' 
you  for  bein'  with  the  men.  You  ain't  honest, 


138  Slaves  of  Success 

either.  You  got  reasons  you  ain't  tellin'  for  mixin' 
up  here,  an'  I  won't  have  nothin'  to  do  with  it." 

It  was  a  crestfallen  trio  that  assembled  in  Chicago 
when  Wade  made  his  report.  Carroll  kept  mutter- 
ing :  "  Three  men  against  one  woman,  and  the 
men  are  powerless!  Three  wise  politicians  turned 
down  by  a  bunch  of  skirts ! "  Then  he  insisted 
desperately  that  something  had  to  be  done  imme- 
diately, for  the  next  meeting  of  the  trustees  was  to 
be  held  in  Chicago,  instead  of  at  the  university, 
within  three  days,  and  there  was  a  chance  that  they 
might  go  in  a  body  to  the  bank.  That  was  unlikely, 
but  they  would  almost  certainly  make  some  arrange- 
ment for  the  examination  of  the  securities. 

"  Tell  Hackley  to  pack  his  grip,"  said  Wade, 
taking  command,  as  he  usually  did  at  a  critical 
moment;  "get  immediate  action  on  your  waif 
proposition,  and  I  will  see  Mrs.  Trumbull.  It's  a 
risk,  but  I  may  be  able  to  do  something." 

Wade  had  so  successfully  concealed  his  own 
machinations  that  he  was  still  on  the  most  friendly 
terms  with  Mrs.  Trumbull,  and  he  went  to  her 
ostensibly  as  a  friend. 

"  I  may  seem  presumptuous,  Mrs.  Trumbull," 
he  told  her,  "  but  I  can't  help  giving  you  a  word  of 
warning.  Frankly,  there  is  a  feeling  that  you  are 


A  Strategical  Defeat  139 

making  a  great  deal  of  unnecessary  trouble.  In 
your  main  contention  you  are  quite  right,  but  you 
must  have  seen  that  even  the  trustees  were  disturbed 
by  your  aggressiveness." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  unreasonable,"  she  replied, 
"  but  why  should  there  be  any  objection  to  a  proper 
auditing  of  accounts?" 

"  There  is  none,"  he  explained.  "  I  have  been  at 
some  pains  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  I  think 
I  understand  it.  By  a  little  conciliation  you  can  get 
just  what  you  wish  without  stirring  up  a  spirit  of 
antagonism.  Men  don't  like  to  be  forced,  especially 
by  one  of  less  practical  experience  than  themselves. 
These  are  not  my  sentiments,  Mrs.  Trumbull ;  I  am 
merely  explaining  the  situation.  Now,  if  you  will 
drop  this  matter  temporarily,  there  will  be  no 
objection  to  an  arrangement  for  a  thorough  annual 
auditing  a  little  later.  All  can  join  in  such  a  move- 
ment a  little  more  gracefully  then.  I  admit  that 
your  position  is  impregnable,  and  you  can  easily 
force  action  at  the  next  meeting,  for  the  public  might 
misinterpret  a  refusal,  but  you  will  surely  create  a 
bitterness  that  will  be  hurtful.  The  trustees  won't 
like  it,  and  Mr.  Hackley's  many  friends  will  believe 
you  are  deliberately  assailing  his  integrity.  You 
will  find  them  retaliating  in  unexpected  ways." 


140  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  unreasonable,"  Mrs.  Trum- 
bull  said  again,  "  and  I  don't  see  why  this  matter 
should  make  such  a  stir.  But,  if  the  dignity  of  my 
masculine  friends  on  the  board  demands  it,  I  will 
let  the  matter  go  over  temporarily,  provided  Mr. 
Hackley  gives  a  new  and  suitable  bond  immediately." 

A  smile  of  satisfaction  faded  quickly  from  Wade's 
face  at  the  conclusion  of  this  statement,  and  he 
hastily  asked  what  was  the  matter  with  the  bond. 

"  It  isn't  large  enough,"  replied  Mrs.  Trumbull. 
"  The  amount  was  fixed  when  the  funds  and  securi- 
ties in  his  custody  were  far  less  than  they  are  now. 
And  it  isn't  good  enough,  either.  No  bank  or  trust 
company  would  accept  it  for  half  the  amount,  for 
it  would  be  a  difficult  matter  to  collect  on  it.  The 
only  surety  who  really  has  anything  is  Carroll,  and 
he's  too  tricky  to  be  safe.  Oh,  I  know  about  that 
bond ;  I  asked  my  husband  a  few  questions,  and  then 
I  had  it  looked  up." 

"  I  don't  think  there  will  be  any  trouble  about 
the  bond,"  said  Wade.  "  You  might  suggest  it  at 
the  next  meeting  of  the  trustees,  and  no  doubt  it  will 
be  easily  arranged,  if  the  other  matter  is  dropped." 

Mrs.  Trumbull  turned  suddenly  on  Wade. 

"  Are  you  representing  Mr.  Hackley  ? "  she 
asked. 


A  Strategical   Defeat  141 

"  Not  at  all,"  he  answered.  "  I  merely  thought 
that  my  practical  experience  in  public  matters  might 
be  of  some  value  to  you." 

"  It  is,"  she  said,  "  and  I  am  grateful  to  you  for 
your  advice,  although  I  don't  understand  the  reason 
for  some  of  it.  But  this  thing  is  sure :  Mr.  Hackley 
will  have  to  furnish  a  new  and  larger  bond  at  the 
next  meeting  of  the  trustees,  or  I  shall  stick  to  my 
original  demand.  I  shall  see  that  he  is  notified  of 
my  intention  in  time  to  have  the  bond  ready.  I 
don't  like  some  things  about  this  at  all,  Mr.  Wade." 

"  I  don't  blame  you,"  replied  Wade,  promptly. 
"  It  is  making  a  big  thing  out  of  a  trifle  in  which 
you  are  technically  right  but  diplomatically  wrong." 

Wade  knew  enough  to  say  no  more  than  that. 
It  would  do  no  good,  and  he  had  no  wish  to  lose 
Mrs.  Trumbull's  friendship.  But  he  told  Carroll 
and  Higbie  that  three  experienced  politicians  were 
dangerously  near  to  defeat  by  one  comparatively 
inexperienced  woman. 

"  I'd  rather  tackle  six  men  than  one  woman,"  he 
said. 

"  Make  it  twenty  men,"  growled  Carroll.  "  Why, 
just  look  at  it.  On  that  board  there  are  six  men  and 
three  women.  One  of  the  women  takes  the  bit  in 
her  teeth,  and  the  six  men  can't  hold  her.  There 


142  Slaves  of  Success 

are  three  more  men  right  here,  and  they  can't  hold 
her.  Enough  influences  have  been  at  work  to  swing 
a  Legislature,  and  she's  dragging  the  whole  bunch 
like  so  much  tissue-paper.  No  one  wants  to  do 
what  she  says,  but  every  one  is  going  to  do  it  — 
except  the  other  women,  perhaps.  We  ought  to 
have  got  after  the  other  women,  Wade.  We  tried 
all  the  men  that  we  dared." 

"  Well,  it's  too  late  now,"  returned  Wade. 
"How  about  the  waifs?" 

"That's  fixed,"  replied  Carroll.  "She'll  have 
enough  to  worry  her  pretty  soon  so  that  she  may  be 
willing  to  forget  about  Hackley." 

In  truth,  Mrs.  Trumbull  did  have  her  hands  full 
the  next  day.  Before  she  had  finished  breakfast 
she  had  a  telephone  call  from  the  Home  for  Women, 
and  was  informed  that  the  county  had  refused  to 
accept  a  waif  that  had  been  left  on  the  doorstep 
the  preceding  evening. 

"  What  do  you  suppose  is  the  reason  of  that  ?  " 
she  asked  her  husband. 

"  It  looks  to  me  like  a  bit  of  practical  politics," 
he  replied.  "  I  believe  you've  been  rather  unaccom- 
modating, haven't  you  ?  " 

"  Are  they  mean  enough  to  retaliate  on  the 
babies  ?  "  she  cried. 


A  Strategical  Defeat  143 

"  They  may  take  the  view  that  they  are  letting  the 
fate  of  the  babies  rest  on  you,"  he  suggested. 

"  Oh,  they  are !  "  she  cried,  with  flashing  eyes. 
"  Well,  it's  a  despicable,  mean,  cowardly  thing  to 
do,  and  I  won't  stand  it  for  a  minute ! " 

"  Don't,"  he  advised,  laughing ;  for  her  aggres- 
sive resourcefulness  was  a  source  of  both  amusement 
and  pride  to  him.  His  best  advice  was  always  at 
her  service,  but  he  insisted  upon  taking  a  facetious 
view  of  most  of  her  problems.  "  Go  after  them !  " 
he  added.  "  My !  but  I'd  hate  to  be  the  President 
of  the  County  Board  to-day !  " 

Mrs.  Trumbull  went  straight  to  the  Home  for 
Women,  where  she  learned  that  the  police,  to  whom 
it  was  customary  to  deliver  waifs  thus  left,  had 
refused  to  take  this  one.  Then,  accompanied  by 
various  other  members  of  the  board,  she  went  to 
the  police  station,  where  she  was  informed  that  the 
police  had  no  place  for  them,  and  the  county  would 
no  longer  take  them.  The  police  were  thereupon 
absolved  from  all  blame.  They  were  willing  to 
send  for  them  whenever  the  county  would  take  them. 

There  were  many  indignant  women  at  the  con- 
ference that  followed,  but  none  was  more  indig- 
nant than  Mrs.  Trumbull,  the  chairman  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  for  the  Home  for  Women,  for  she  felt 


144  Slaves  of  Success 

a  sense  of  personal  responsibility.  She  could  not 
get  rid  of  the  idea  of  "  retaliation,"  although  she 
could  not  see  just  what  influences  were  at  work. 
She  thought  she  knew,  but  she  could  not  trace  the 
connection.  She  was  full  of  determination,  how- 
ever; she  positively  would  not  be  defeated  by  any 
such  trifling  trick.  When  Mrs.  Trumbull  was  full 
of  determination  she  was  capable  of  strikingly 
original  and  effective  action,  and  the  other  women 
laughed  until  the  tears  rolled  down  their  cheeks 
when  she  outlined  her  plan. 

The  County  Board  had  a  meeting  that  afternoon. 
It  had  just  been  called  to  order  when  word  was 
brought  in  that  some  ladies  wished  to  see  the 
President.  Would  they  come  in  ?  No ;  there  were 
a  number  of  them,  and  they  would  consider  it  a 
favour  if  he  would  step  to  the  door.  He  went, 
followed  by  various  curious  members,  and  found 
a  group  of  women  in  the  corridor,  but  he  did  not 
see  that  they  cleverly  concealed  a  nurse  with  a 
baby. 

"  Have  you  refused  to  accept  any  more  found- 
lings from  the  Home  for  Women  ?  "  asked  Mrs. 
Trumbull. 

"Yes,"  he  replied. 

"Why?" 


A  Strategical   Defeat  145 

"  Well,  the  county  institutions  are  already  pretty 
full." 

"  But  it  is  the  duty  of  the  county  to  take  charge 
of  the  waifs." 

He  laughed  uneasily. 

"  Theoretically,  that  may  be  true,"  he  admitted, 
"  but  I  do  not  see  why  we  should  take  them  from 
such  an  institution  as  yours." 

"  We  have  very  limited  accommodations  for 
babies  and  children,"  she  explained.  "  It  is  a 
private  charity  that  does  the  very  best  it  can,  but 
there  are  five  times  as  many  foundlings  left  there 
as  we  can  possibly  provide  for." 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  if  the  county  won't  take  them, 
I  don't  see  what  you  are  going  to  do  about  it." 

Mrs.  Trumbull  turned,  took  the  baby  from  the 
nurse  and  handed  it  to  the  President  of  the  County 
Board.  The  action  was  so  sudden  that  he  had  the 
little  one  in  his  arms  before  he  realized  what  had 
happened. 

"  We  deliver  that  foundling  to  you  as  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  county,"  she  said. 

He  tried  to  give  it  back,  but  every  woman  had 
her  hands  behind  her.  And  the  men  laughed. 

"  Take  it,"  he  pleaded.  "  I  don't  know  what  to 
do  with  it." 


146  Slaves  of  Success 

"  The  county  does,"  said  Mrs.  Trumbull. 

"  But  what  can  I  do  with  it  now  ?  "  he  argued, 
plaintively. 

"  That's  your  affair,"  Mrs.  Trumbull  replied, 
and  the  women  turned  to  leave. 

"Wait!"  he  cried,  following  them,  while  his 
colleagues  almost  collapsed  with  laughter,  and  the 
child  began  to  cry.  "  Take  it  —  only  take  it  now, 
and  the  county  will  send  for  it." 

"How  about  others  in  the  future?"  demanded 
Mrs.  Trumbull. 

"  The  county  will  take  them  all,  every  one,"  he 
promised.  "  We'll  send  chariots  for  them,  if  you 
say  so." 

The  nurse  took  the  baby  at  a  sign  from  Mrs. 
Trumbull,  and  the  women  retired,  but  the  news  of 
their  exploit  travelled  rapidly.  Wade  simply  had 
to  laugh  when  the  story  came  to  him,  although  he 
appreciated  the  gravity  of  the  situation.  He  was 
in  conference  with  Carroll  and  Hackley  at  the  time. 
Hackley  should  have  left  town  the  night  before,  but 
he  had  delayed,  and  in  consequence  Mrs.  Trumbull's 
notice  in  relation  to  the  demand  for  a  new  bond 
had  reached  him.  It  would  never  do  to  leave  now. 

"  It's  just  as  well,  anyway,"  he  was  saying, 
bitterly.  "  I've  got  to  stay  here  to  avoid  a  wreck. 


A  Strategical   Defeat  147 

I  tell  you,  less  than  sixty  days  will  make  me  all 
right,  but  I've  got  to  manage  things  myself.  I've 
got  one  investment  that  will  pull  me  out  as  soon  as 
the  deal  goes  through.  You  know  what  it  is, 
Carroll,  for  you  —  " 

Then  it  was  that  Higbie  entered  with  the  news. 

"  When  it  comes  to  strategy,"  commented  Wade, 
"  give  me  a  woman  every  time.  You're  beaten, 
Carroll." 

"  How  about  you?  "  demanded  Carroll. 

"  Oh,  my  skirts  are  clear  of  scandal,"  replied 
Wade.  "  I'm  not  in  the  bank."  But  he  knew  he 
was  hurt  in  another  way. 

Then  Hackley  pulled  himself  together  and  spoke 
almost  fiercely. 

"  You've  got  to  see  me  through,  Carroll ! "  he 
said.  "  You're  in  the  bank,  and  you're  on  my 
bond.  You'll  be  hit  politically  and  financially  if  I 
go  down.  It  isn't  much  of  an  interest  that  you  have 
in  the  bank,  but  the  books  show  that  you  got  it  with- 
out the  payment  of  a  cent  of  cash.  A  new  bond  is 
out  of  the  question  just  now;  I  have  got  to  produce 
the  securities,  and  you  have  got  to  redeem  them  for 
me." 

"Havel?"  fumed  Carroll. 

"  I  think  you  have,"  put  in  Wade. 


148  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Then  I  can  resign  with  dignity,"  added  Hack- 
ley.  "  You've  got  the  cash,  or  can  raise  it,  Carroll, 
and  you  know  on  what  I  rely  to  pay  —  " 

"  A  speculation !  "  interrupted  Carroll.  "  It  looks 
good,  but  —  " 

"  But  you've  got  to  take  the  risk,"  interrupted 
Wade.  "  Hackley  is  quite  right  about  that." 

Carroll  gave  Wade  an  angry  look,  but  he  sur- 
rendered to  the  inevitable  and  the  details  were 
settled. 

"  Woman  in  politics  is  an  expensive  luxury,"  he 
growled,  when  the  matter  had  been  arranged. 

"  She  is,"  admitted  Wade;  for  had  not  Wade 
lost  a  grip  on  some  votes  just  when  he  thought  he 
was  sure  of  them? 


VI. 

A   FAVOUR   FOR   A   FRIEND 

BEN  CARROLL  was  worried.  When  anything  of 
a  political  or  legislative  nature  worried  Ben  Carroll, 
he  usually  sought  out  John  Wade.  Wade  could  do 
things  that  Carroll  could  not,  but  he  would  not 
always  do  them.  Carroll  feared  that  this  might  be 
one  of  the  things  at  which  Wade  would  balk,  for 
the  fact  that  there  was  boodle  in  it  could  not  be  con- 
cealed from  so  experienced  a  politician.  Wade, 
financially  honest  himself,  shut  his  eyes  to  boodling 
frequently,  but  his  influence  and  advice  could  be 
secured  only  when  it  was  very  much  to  his  political 
advantage.  Carroll  could  not  see  how  the  thing 
he  had  in  mind  was  going  to  be  to  Wade's  advantage 
in  any  way. 

"  I'll  have  to  put  up  a  strong  bluff,"  said  Carroll 
to  himself.  "  I  can  threaten  to  break  with  him  and 
rip  open  some  of  his  schemes.  But  he's  got  to  help 
me.  He's  the  only  man  who  can  put  up  the  right 
kind  of  a  game  for  this  job." 

149 


150  Slaves  of  Success 

So  Carroll  went  to  Wade. 

"  I've  got  to  get  Duncan's  vote,"  he  said. 

"  A  hard  job,  if  the  measure  isn't  straight," 
commented  Wade. 

"  I  know  it,"  admitted  Carroll,  "  but  you  can 
land  it,  if  you  try." 

"  What's  the  scheme?  "  asked  Wade. 

Carroll  explained  it  fully,  and  Wade  gave  him 
a  shrewd  look.  "  You  ought  to  get  enough  out  of 
that  to  retire,  if  you  put  it  through,"  remarked 
Wade. 

"  Oh,  I'm  doing  it  for  a  friend,"  explained 
Carroll. 

"  Your  pocketbook  is  your  friend,"  returned 
Wade. 

Carroll  knew  that  a  denial  would  be  wasted,  so  he 
said  nothing.  He  was  holding  himself  for  what 
he  termed  "  a  strong  talk,"  when  that  became 
necessary,  and  he  fully  expected  that  it  would  be 
necessary.  In  fact,  he  was  rather  surprised  that 
Wade  would  even  make  a  pretence  of  considering 
the  matter.  Still,  Wade  was  always  cautious,  seek- 
ing to  understand  a  question  thoroughly  before 
reaching  a  decision.  But  this  seemed  to  be  some- 
thing that  he  ought  to  understand  promptly. 

"  Why  do  you  particularly  need  Duncan's  vote?  " 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  151 

asked  Wade,  after  a  moment  of  silence.  "  Why  will 
not  some  other  do  just  as  well  ?  " 

"  We  do  not  need  Duncan's  vote  so  much  as  we 
do  an  assurance  that  he  won't  antagonize  us,"  was 
Carroll's  reply.  "  Duncan  is  a  dangerous  man,  a 
vicious  fighter." 

"  No  doubt  about  that,"  admitted  Wade. 

"  We  want  him  for  us  because  we  don't  want 
him  against  us,  and  he's  sure  to  be  one  or  the  other. 
He  might  bust  the  whole  thing." 

"  He  might,"  admitted  Wade.  "  Possibly  some 
of  your  men  would  not  stand  well  under  fire." 

Carroll  nodded,  to  indicate  that  this  was  the 
situation.  Wade  was  silent  for  awhile,  consider- 
ing the  matter. 

"  Well,  Carroll,"  he  said  at  last,  with  a  significant 
smile,  "  as  you're  doing  this  for  a  friend,  I  suppose 
I  ought  to  be  willing  to  do  as  much.  As  a  favour  to 
a  friend  I'll  try  to  get  your  man  for  you." 

Carroll  was  surprised  at  this  ready  acquiescence, 
and  not  wholly  untroubled  by  it.  He  had  anticipated 
difficulty  in  securing  Wade's  cooperation. 

"  I  wonder,"  he  soliloquized,  "  what  his  game 
is.  There  is  surely  something  in  it  for  him  some- 
where." 

Meanwhile,   Wade  was  buried   in  thought  and 


152  Slaves  of  Success 

cigar  smoke.  The  task  he  had  undertaken  was  a 
difficult  one,  requiring  careful  planning  and  skil- 
ful execution.  In  a  little  time,  however,  he  per- 
fected a  scheme  that  seemed  to  promise  well. 

His  first  act  was  to  make,  through  Carroll,  certain 
preliminary  arrangements  with  the  men  who  were 
behind  Carroll;  and,  to  do  this,  he  had  to  take 
Carroll  partly  into  his  confidence.  He  regretted  the 
necessity,  for  Carroll  was  not  a  discreet  man,  to  be 
trusted  in  a  matter  requiring  such  delicate  han- 
dling as  this;  but  it  could  not  be  helped.  Carroll, 
strong  politically  in  many  ways,  was  a  bungler 
when  it  came  to  the  clever  manipulation  of  intelli- 
gent men.  However,  in  this  case,  he  promised  to 
say  and  do  nothing. 

Next,  Wade  sought  a  certain  middle-aged,  sedate 
man,  with  whom  he  had  had  dealings  in  the  past. 

"  It  is  just  the  job  for  you,"  explained  Wade. 
"  You're  not  known,  and  no  one  else  can  play  the 
part.  Here's  where  your  book-knowledge  comes 
into  play." 

"  It  would  be  interesting,"  admitted  the  man, 
"  but  I  don't  like  it.  Duncan  is  too  fine  a  man." 

"  That's  what  makes  it  interesting,"  urged 
Wade.  "  The  job  requires  cleverness.  Still,  the 
ethical  points  of  the  scheme  need  not  worry  you,  for 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  153 

all  you've  got  to  do  is  to  sell  him  some  land.  Will 
you  do  it,  Denton?  I've  been  a  pretty  good  friend 
to  you,  haven't  I  ?  " 

"  It  certainly  would  be  interesting,"  repeated 
Denton. 

"  And  there's  money  in  it,"  added  Wade. 

Denton  was  always  hard  up.  He  was  naturally 
a  student,  delighted  in  odd  researches,  but  he  never 
had  been  able  to  make  learning  pay.  His  quick 
brain,  however,  had  been  of  use  to  Wade  on  several 
occasions  —  he  knew  how  to  find,  absorb,  and  ar- 
range anything  that  ever  had  been  in  print  —  and 
the  campaign  material  he  had  occasionally  provided 
had  been  of  immense  value.  He  could  get  the 
salient  points  in  legislation  for  a  period  of  years, 
or  in  a  man's  record,  and  serve  them  up  as  a  scath- 
ing arraignment  or  a  flattering  eulogy.  People 
often  wondered  at  the  force  and  strength  with 
which  Wade  was  able  to  express  himself  in  an 
emergency.  At  other  times  he  seemed  to  lack  this 
brilliancy  entirely.  But  Wade  was  asking  service 
of  an  entirely  different  nature  now. 

"  A  lot  of  money  in  it,"  said  Wade,  after  waiting 
for  Denton  to  speak. 

"  Well,  I'll  try  it,"  Denton  decided. 

"  And  remember,"  said  Wade,  "  I  want  this  man. 


154  Slaves  of  Success 

The  fact  that  he  votes  for  this  measure  is  not 
enough:  I  shall  want  to  use  him  later.  Do  you 
see  the  point?" 

"  I  think  so." 

"  With  reasonably  clever  management,  you  ought 
to  be  able  to  turn  over  to  me  evidence  of  the  con- 
ditions under  which  you  get  him." 

Denton  looked  up,  troubled. 

"  You  know  I'm  honest,"  declared  Wade,  de- 
fensively. Financial  honesty  was  all  that  Wade 
ever  considered.  "I  shall  need  his  vote  later; 
that's  all,"  he  added.  "  You  recollect,  you  got  the 
facts  that  enabled  me  to  force  Niedler  into  line 
once.  This  is  really  the  same  kind  of  a  case,  only 
it  requires  a  little  more  work  and  a  little  more 
caution." 

This  was  sophistical  and  fallacious,  and  Denton 
knew  it.  The  two  cases  were  entirely  dissimilar, 
for  Niedler  had  been  controlled  by  unearthing  cer- 
tain previous  acts,  while  Duncan's  past  life  was  un- 
assailable. Nevertheless,  Denton  decided  that  he 
was  not  called  upon  to  pass  upon  the  ethical 
features  of  the  affair,  but  only  to  do  the  work  and 
earn  the  money.  With  the  results  of  this  work 
he  was  not  concerned. 

"  It  will  be  most  interesting,"  he  said  for  the 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  155 

third  time;    "really  quite  exciting  in  a  mild  way. 
I  always  did  like  games  of  cleverness." 

Professor  Ernest  Gushing  was  writing  a  book. 
Professor  Ernest  Gushing  somewhat  resembled 
a  certain  Ernest  Denton  of  Chicago,  but  that,  of 
course,  is  a  matter  of  no  importance.  The  exact 
nature  of  the  book  Professor  Gushing  did  not 
divulge,  but  he  intimated  that  some  considerable 
research  was  required  to  get  the  necessary  material, 
and  he  devoted  a  great  deal  of  time  to  poring  over 
dusty  volumes  in  the  library  at  the  State  capital. 
Occasionally  he  sought  advice.  He  desired  light 
on  some  obscure  point  in  the  political  history  of 
the  State,  and  he  turned  to  any  one  who  happened 
to  be  near  for  information.  Where  could  he  find  a 
record  of  the  desired  facts?  He  seemed  to  think 
that  every  one  at  the  capital,  except  himself,  must 
be  familiar  with  the  library  and  all  the  departments. 

"  I  don't  know  much  about  politics,"  he  would 
explain,  "  but  perhaps  it  is  just  as  well.  The  expert 
in  any  line  writes  only  for  the  experts :  no  other 
can  understand  him,  for  he  cannot  appreciate  the 
ignorance  of  the  general  public.  One  must  not  be 
too  far  removed  from  the  people  he  wishes  to 
address.  Now,  I  have  a  fair  general  knowledge 


156  Slaves  of  Success 

of  my  purpose,  —  possibly  an  expert  knowledge  of 
some  features  of  it,  —  but  the  difficulties  I  experi- 
ence in  mastering  many  details  should  put  me  in 
sympathy  with  the  unposted  reader  and  enable  me 
to  write  a  popular  book." 

It  was  evident  from  this  that  his  work  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  State  political  history,  but  other 
questions  indicated  researches  in  other  directions 
also.  However,  there  was  nothing  in  this  to  dis- 
turb the  legislators,  or,  in  fact,  any  one  with  whom 
he  came  in  contact,  so  they  accepted  him  as  a  kindly, 
unsophisticated  and  interesting  man,  with  a  hobby. 

And  interesting  he  proved  to  be.  He  could  talk 
entertainingly  on  many  subjects,  while  his  dreamy, 
unsuspicious  nature  made  him  a  refreshing  com- 
panion in  a  city  where  nearly  all  others  were  sus- 
picious and  severely  practical. 

In  time  Senator  Horace  Duncan  came  to  regard 
him  as  a  sort  of  protege.  The  Senator  rather  en- 
joyed explaining  the  practical  features  of  politics 
and  statesmanship  to  him,  for  he  was  a  modest  and 
delightful  listener,  and  his  expressions  of  surprise 
and  admiration  at  the  extent  of  the  Senator's 
knowledge  in  these  directions  were  gratifying  to 
the  vanity  of  even  a  prominent  man  in  State  and 
party  councils.  The  Professor's  modesty  and  con- 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  157 

sideration  for  others  would  not  permit  him  to  seek 
the  Senator  out,  but  he  plainly  showed  his  pleasure 
when  the  Senator  came  to  him  in  the  library,  and  he 
frequently  asked  his  advice  about  knotty  points  in 
his  investigations.  The  Senator  was  a  man  of 
learning  himself,  and  was  in  the  habit  of  using  the 
library  more  than  any  of  his  colleagues.  Conse- 
quently, there  was  a  bond  of  sympathy  between  the 
two. 

One  day  the  Senator  found  the  Professor  study- 
ing a  map  of  the  State,  and  he  asked,  jokingly,  if 
geography  was  to  be  a  feature  of  the  book  also. 

"  Not  exactly  a  feature,"  replied  the  Professor, 
"  but  one  must  be  familiar  with  the  geography  of 
the  State  that  he  writes  about,  and,  besides,  I  have 
been  about  all  over  it  in  my  researches.  Ichthyology 
is  one  of  my  hobbies.  I  presume  I  have  visited 
every  fish-stream  in  this  State  at  one  time  or  an- 
other. It  is  most  interesting." 

The  Professor  let  his  pencil  run  idly  over  the 
map,  and  finally  made  a  dot  near  one  corner  of  it. 

"  I  spent  two  or  three  weeks  there  not  long  ago," 
he  said,  "  and  I  was  sorry  I  didn't  have  some  money 
to  invest.  However,  it's  just  as  well.  I  probably 
should  have  lost  it." 


158  Slaves  of  Success 

"Somebody  try  to  sell  you  some  land?"  asked 
the  Senator. 

"  Oh,  no ;  but  there  is  land  to  be  had  there,  and 
it's  sure  to  be  worth  a  lot  of  money  later,  if  one 
can  afford  to  wait  I've  been  waiting  all  my  life, 
so  it  would  be  easy  for  me  —  if  I  had  the  money. 
The  thing  to  do  is  just  to  buy  the  land  and  forget 
about  it  for  a  few  years.  That's  what  a  man  I  met 
up  there  told  me.  He  was  a  most  interesting 
fellow." 

"  A  land-shark,  probably." 

"  Perhaps;  but  he  was  very  convincing.  Even 
an  ignoramus  like  myself  could  grasp  the  situation. 
You  see  where  the  fork  of  the  river  comes."  The 
Professor  indicated  with  his  pencil.  "  Well,  there 
isn't  anything  but  a  little  blacksmith's  shop  there 
now,  but  there's  sure  to  be  a  city  there  some  day. 
It's  the  best  site  for  one  anywhere  in  that  vicinity, 
and  proper  development  of  the  surrounding  country 
is  all  that  is  needed." 

"Any  railroad?" 

"  No.  That's  the  trouble.  The  character  of  the 
country  makes  it  rather  difficult  of  access,  but  they 
say  a  road  is  sure  to  come.  It  will  go  through  that 
territory  to  reach  the  district  beyond.  And  the 
people  who  make  the  big  profits  on  such  invest- 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  159 

merits,  are  the  ones  who  get  into  the  districts  before 
the  railroads." 

"  That  sounds  like  a  real  estate  prospectus," 
laughed  the  Senator.  "  The  man  you  met  there 
must  have  told  you  that." 

"  Perhaps  he  did,"  replied  the  Professor, 
thoughtfully.  "  I  don't  remember." 

"  Railroads  don't  always  go  where  you  expect 
them  to,"  continued  the  Senator,  "  and  somehow 
cities  do  not  always  seek  the  best  sites." 

"  I  suppose  .you're  right,"  admitted  the  Profes- 
sor, "  but  I  took  an  option  on  the  land.  I  had 
reason  to  expect  I  should  have  quite  a  sum  of  ready 
money  later,  and  it  looked  like  a  good  chance  to 
me." 

"  If  you're  after  a  get-rich-quick  scheme,"  said 
the  Senator,  "  you  ought  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  right  now.  There's  a  hen  on." 

"On  what?"   asked  the  Professor,   innocently. 

"  I  mean,"  laughed  the  Senator,  "  that  there's 
a  measure  to  be  put  through,  if  possible,  on  golden 
wings." 

"  Oh !  "  cried  the  Professor,  his  eyes  brighten- 
ing with  excitement.  "Bribery!" 

"  Yes,"  said  the  Senator,  "  although  we  don't 
always  call  it  that." 


160  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Tell  me  about  it,"  urged  the  Professor.  "  I 
am  most  interested  in  that  subject.  What's  the 
measure?  And  how  do  they  do  it?  " 

"  Bribery  is  indirect,  rather  than  direct,  in  these 
days,"  explained  the  Senator.  "  They  often  reach 
a  man  through  his  financial,  personal,  or  political 
interests :  there  is  only  an  implied  bargain  and  no 
direct  cash  transaction.  Of  course  it  amounts  to 
the  same  thing,  but  it's  easier  on  a  man's  conscience, 
and  more  difficult  to  detect." 

"  But  this  particular  case,"  persisted  the  Profes- 
sor. "What  is  it?" 

"  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  Senator,  his  brow 
clouding.  "  If  I  did,  I  might  find  some  way  to  block 
the  game.  Perhaps  you've  heard  that  lobbyists  and 
schemers  are  just  a  little  afraid  of  me." 

"  Oh,  I'm  so  utterly  ignorant  and  out  of  the 
world  that  people  seldom  take  the  trouble  to  tell 
me  anything,"  explained  the  Professor,  "  but  I 
think  I  have  heard  the  phrase  '  aggressively  honest ' 
used  to  describe  you." 

"  Possibly,  possibly,"  returned  the  gratified  Sena- 
tor. "  At  any  rate,  the  corruptionists  fight  shy  of 
me,  but  I  have  been  here  long  enough  to  know  the 
signs  of  a  job.  When  anything  big  is  on  hand,  it 
is  in  the  air,  in  the  atmosphere.  You  know  it  with- 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  161 

out  knowing  it  —  that  is,  you  become  morally 
certain  that  '  something-  is  doing,'  to  use  the  popu- 
lar phrase,  without  knowing  just  what  it  is.  Activ- 
ity in  certain  quarters  is  in  itself  a  pretty  good 
indication,  and  you  feel  the  suppressed  excitement 
of  those  who  are  in  the  secret." 

"  I  hope  it  comes  to  light  while  I  am  here,"  said 
the  Professor.  "  I  should  like  to  have  an  insight 
into  the  devious  ways  of  politics  and  legislation." 

"  You'll  get  it  when  the  measure  is  sprung," 
asserted  the  Senator,  aggressively.  "  I  shall  tear  the 
scheme  wide  open  the  moment  I  get  the  facts." 

Before  the  Professor  could  ask  any  further 
questions,  one  of  the  library  attendants  entered  with 
a  note  that  had  been  left  for  him.  After  a  glance 
at  it,  the  Professor  gave  evidence  of  some  excite- 
ment, and  hastily  excused  himself.  He  had  over- 
looked an  appointment,  he  said,  but  his  face  and 
actions,  when  he  had  left  the  library,  did  not 
indicate  that  he  was  pleased  at  being  reminded  of 
the  fact. 

When  he  reached  his  modest  boarding-house 
quarters,  the  gentle,  kindly,  easy-going  Professor 
had  been  transformed  into  a  man  of  energy  and 
some  passion. 


1 62  Slaves  of  Success 

"What  are  .you  doing  here?"  he  demanded  of 
the  man  he  found  awaiting  him. 

"Why  —  why,"  stammered  Carroll  (for  it  was 
Carroll),  disconcerted  by  this  unexpected  aggres- 
siveness, "  we  were  getting  a  little  uneasy.  Your 
reports  weren't  very  satisfactory,  so  Wade  and  I 
thought  —  " 

"  Leave  Wade  out,"  interrupted  the  Professor. 
"  He  has  too  much  sense  to  let  you  show  up  here." 
Which  was  true.  Carroll  was  simply  incapable  of 
understanding  a  "  fine "  piece  of  work,  and  his 
anxiety  and  impatience  had  led  him  to  make  this 
grievous  mistake,  in  spite  of  the  promise  Wade  had 
exacted.  He  wanted  to  see  for  himself  what  the 
Professor,  whom  he  had  met  for  the  first  time  when 
this  task  was  undertaken,  was  doing.  But  he  was 
seriously  disconcerted  by  this  greeting. 

"  Well,  we're  only  waiting  for  your  man  to  put 
the  thing  through,"  he  said,  defensively,  "  and  some 
of  the  boys  are  getting  impatient.  I've  got  people 
behind  me  that  are  anxious,  too.  So  we  thought 
I'd  better  show  up  here  and  see  if  things  can't  be 
hurried  a  little." 

"  See  if  things  can't  be  ruined!"  ejaculated  the 
Professor.  "  If  it  gets  out  that  you've  seen  me, 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  163 

it's  all  ended.  The  least  little  suspicion  of  me  will 
settle  it.  And  you're  pretty  well  known  here." 

"  I'm  down  on  other  business,"  said  Carroll. 
"  I  slipped  over  to  this  house  on  the  quiet,  and 
nobody  saw  me.  But,"  recovering  some  of  his 
self-assertiveness,  "  we've  reached  every  one  neces- 
sary, except  your  man.  Why  in  thunder  should 
it  take  so  long  to  get  him  ?  " 

"  Well,  now,  I  ought  not  to  be  telling  you  your 
business,"  answered  the  Professor,  "  but  Wade 
gave  me  a  little  insight  into  the  affair.  The  men 
you've  already  got  are  of  minor  importance.  There 
isn't  one  of  them  who  is  good  for  anything  except 
his  own  vote,  and  some  of  them  aren't  good  for 
even  that,  if  you  fail  to  get  Duncan.  They're  afraid 
of  him.  If  he  turns  loose,  they'll  hunt  cover  like 
scared  rabbits;  if  he  is  with  you,  it  will  allay  sus- 
picion in  other  quarters  and  enable  you  to  get  other 
votes.  That's  why  you've  got  to  have  him ;  that's 
why  I'm  here.  I  didn't  like  the  job,  but  I'm  begin- 
ning to  get  interested  in  it,  and  I'll  see  it  through  — 
if  you  let  me  alone.  Go  back  to  Wade  and  tell  him 
if  he  lets  you  or  any  one  else  come"  near  me  again, 
I'll  throw  the  whole  thing  up." 

The  Professor  was  angry.  Even  Wade  would 
have  been  surprised  to  know  that  the  Professor 


164  Slaves  of  Success 

could  show  so  much  spirit;  but  Wade  never  had 
seen  him  when  a  fool's  action  jeopardized  the  suc- 
cess of  an  enterprise  that  had  taken  him  away  from 
his  books  and  into  the  real  life  of  the  world.  Still, 
Wade  knew  that,  in  spite  of  his  customary  dreami- 
ness, he  had  the  wit  and  the  resourcefulness  to 
accomplish  almost  anything  he  undertook.  Other- 
wise it  would  have  been  folly  to  entrust  him  with 
this  mission.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  had  aroused 
in  him  the  sensations  and  interest  of  a  closely  con- 
tested game  that  he  was  particularly  anxious  to 
have  the  satisfaction  of  winning;  it  had  taken  him 
back  a  good  many  years  in  his  life.  Besides,  he 
needed  the  money. 

The  Professor  did  not  return  to  the  library  that 
day;  but  the  following  day  he  was  there  as  usual, 
and  he  again  gave  some  attention  to  the  map. 

"  I  don't  believe  I  am  going  to  lose  anything  on 
that  option,  after  all,"  he  told  the  Senator.  "  I 
paid  two  hundred  dollars  for  it,  and  the  man  who 
sent  for  me  yesterday  offered  me  three  hundred 
dollars  to  transfer  it  to  him." 

"  Did  you  let  him  have  it?"  asked  the  Senator, 
interestedly. 

"  No,"  replied  the  Professor  ;  "  he  was  too 
anxious.  Even  I  could  see  that.  And,  if  there's 


A   Favour  for  a  Friend  165 

money  in  it  for  him,  why  not  for  me?  I  have  only 
a  little  myself,  but,  if  it's  really  good,  I  ought  to 
be  able  to  borrow  some." 

The  Senator  sat  down  beside  him  and  examined 
the  map  closely,  tracing  out  the  railroads  and 
streams  with  his  pencil.  Then  he  got  a  map  of  the 
county  that  was  made  on  a  larger  scale. 

"  What  land  is  covered  by  your  option  ? "  he 
asked. 

The  Professor  drew  a  line  around  it. 

"  That's  a  good  bit  of  land,"  commented  the 
Senator.  "  What's  the  price  ?" 

"  Ten  thousand  dollars,  and  I've  got  about  two 
thousand  dollars  of  it." 

"  I  didn't  know  you  scientists  ever  had  so  much 
ready  cash,"  remarked  the  Senator. 

"  A  little  legacy,"  explained  the  Professor.  "  I 
expected  it  would  be  considerably  more,  but  it 
wasn't.  I  had  that  in  mind  when  I  got  the  option, 
but  it  isn't  enough,  and  I  got  frightened  besides. 
I  don't  know  much  about  business,  and  I'd  hate  to 
lose  it." 

"  What's  the  price  of  other  land  in  the  vicinity  ?  " 
asked  the  Senator. 

"  Really,  I  don't  know,"  replied  the  Professor, 
reddening  a  little  at  this  confession.  "  It  seemed 


1 66  Slaves  of  Success 

to  me  cheap,  and  —  Well,  frankly,  I  got  the 
option  and  then  forgot  about  it  in  my  researches 
here  until  a  letter  reminded  me  of  it." 

"  You  have  just  about  as  much  business  sense 
as  most  people  in  your  line,"  laughed  the  Senator, 
"  but  perhaps  I  can  be  of  some  assistance  to  .you. 
I'll  look  into  the  matter,  and,  if  it's  all  right,  I  may 
go  into  the  deal  with  you  —  if  you'll  let  me  in." 

"  I  wish  you  would,"  said  the  Professor,  sincerely. 

The  result  of  the  Senator's  investigations  rather 
surprised  him.  There  was  no  land  in  that  vicinity 
on  the  market.  It  was  held  by  a  few  individuals 
that  he  never  had  heard  of  before,  in  rather 
large  tracts,  and  they  did  not  seem  disposed  to 
sell.  He  failed  to  get  even  a  satisfactory  quotation. 

"  I  believe  there's  some  talk  of  putting  a  rail- 
road through  there,"  one  real  estate  man  told  him. 
"  At  any  rate,  there  are  some  people  who  seem 
mighty  anxious  for  that  land  just  now,  and  no  one 
wants  to  sell." 

The  Senator  looked  up  the  last  recorded  sale, 
and  found  that  the  price  quoted  by  the  Professor 
was  reasonable.  He  did  not  see  how  the  purchase 
could  fail  to  prove  a  fair  investment  in  time,  even 
if  there  should  be  nothing  in  it  in  the  immediate 
future,  and,  though  the  situation  was  rather  con- 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  167 

fusing,  there  was  a  possibility  of  a  big  profit  at 
an  early  day.  It  would  be  a  kindness  to  assist  the 
good  old  Professor  in  protecting  his  option  money, 
and  there  was  reason  to  believe  the  kindness  would 
be  rewarded  in  the  end. 

"  I'll  put  up  half  the  money  to  buy  that  land 
for  half  the  profits,"  he  told  the  Professor. 

"  Good,"  was  the  reply.  "  Your  five  thousand 
dollars  and  my  two  thousand  dollars  will  make  all 
but  three  thousand  dollars  of  the  necessary  sum, 
and  I  guess  I  can  borrow  that.  I  can  use  my  half- 
interest  as  security,  can't  I  ?  " 

"  When  you  get  it,"  said  the  Senator.  "  You 
can't  very  well  use  a  thing  for  security  until  you 
have  title  to  it." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  returned  the  Professor,  thought- 
fully, "  but  I  guess  I  can  arrange  it." 

However,  a  few  days  later  he  came  to  the  Senator 
with  another  proposition.  He  had  been  unable  to 
secure  the  loan,  for  he  knew  little  of  business,  and 
had  no  friends  who  were  able  to  spare  such  a  sum. 

"  If  I  had  the  ready  cash,  I'd  let  you  have  it 
myself,"  said  the  Senator,  "  but  five  thousand  dol- 
lars is  my  limit  just  now.  I  suppose  I  might  borrow 
it  for  you." 

"  Oh,  that  wouldn't  be  fair,"  asserted  the  Profes- 


1 68  Slaves  of  Success 

sor.  "  If  you  furnish  the  money  you  ought  to  get 
the  profit.  Why  not  do  that?"  as  if  the  idea  had 
just  occurred  to  him.  "  My  own  two  thousand 
dollars  is  a  pretty  big  investment  for  me." 

The  Senator  demurred,  —  the  scheme  was  the 
Professor's,  and  he  ought  to  have  a  half-interest  in 
it,  if  that  were  a  possible  thing,  —  but  the  Professor 
convinced  him  that  a  fifth  interest  would  be  ample 
and  just,  under  the  circumstances;  it  would  be  more 
to  him  than  the  four-fifths  would  be  to  the  Senator. 

The  matter  was  finally  arranged  on  this  basis. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  investment  looked  very 
enticing  to  the  Senator.  It  was  evident  to  him  that 
some  one  was  anxious  to  secure  that  land.  In  his 
investigations  he  had  learned  that  he  could  make 
a  few  hundred  dollars  himself  by  getting  the  Pro- 
fessor's option  for  some  unknown  parties  who  were 
dealing  through  one  of  the  real  estate  men.  So, 
having  made  sure  that  the  Professor's  option  was 
valid,  he  borrowed  three  thousand  dollars  to  com- 
plete the  needed  sum,  and  the  Professor  bought  the 
land,  the  necessary  contract  to  protect  the  Senator's 
interests  having  been  executed.  The  Senator  did 
not  appear  in  the  transaction,  so  far  as  any  third 
party  was  concerned.  There  was  no  reason  why 
he  should  not,  but  it  was  simpler  and  easier  to  let 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  169 

the  Professor  complete  the  bargain.  Still,  the 
Senator  might  have  been  worried,  if  he  had  known 
that  the  Professor  had  that  contract  photographed. 

"  There  seems  to  be  something  good  in  it," 
remarked  the  Professor,  when  the  purchase  had 
been  made  and  the  deed  to  the  Senator's  part  of  the 
land  surrendered  to  him.  "  I've  been  offered  five 
hundred  dollars  for  a  fifteen  thousand  dollar  option 
on  it-  for  ninety  days." 

"  What's  that?  "  cried  the  Senator.  "  Five  hun- 
dred dollars  for  a  ninety-day  option  at  fifteen 
thousand  dollars.  If  it  were  not  for  the  lack  of 
transportation  facilities,  I'd  think  some  big  manu- 
facturing concern  wanted  to  locate  there.  Was 
the  offer  put  in  writing?  " 

The  Professor  produced  a  letter  verifying  his 
statement. 

"But  why  the  option?"  mused  the  Senator. 
"  Why  not  an  outright  purchase  now  ?  I  guess  we'd 
better  let  things  stand  as  they  are  until  we  see 
what's  up,  and  then  we  can  divide  under  the  con- 
tract. We  can't  split  up  the  land  fairly  until  we 
know  more,  so  I'll  just  keep  the  deed  without 
recording  it." 

When,  a  little  later,  five  hundred  dollars  was 
offered  for  a  ninety-day  option  at  twenty  thousand 


170  Slaves  of  Success 

dollars,  the  Senator's  curiosity  and  cupidity  were 
both  aroused.  This  would  mean  one  hundred  per 
cent,  profit  on  the  investment,  and  a  man  who  would 
put  up  five  hundred  dollars  for  an  option  must 
necessarily  expect  to  take  the  property.  All  in 
all,  it  was  a  most  extraordinary  affair.  He  made 
some  inquiries,  but  the  offer  came  through  a  real 
estate  man  who  was  not  at  liberty  to  reveal  the 
identity  of  his  principals.  All  he  knew  was  that 
they  would  pay  almost  any  price  for  that  property 
under  certain  circumstances,  and  they  felt  sure 
enough  that  the  circumstances  would  be  favourable 
to  risk  five  hundred  dollars  on  an  option. 

It  was  only  a  few  days  after  this  that  the  Senator 
came  to  the  Professor  in  great  excitement. 

"  It's  out !  "  he  cried.  "  I  know  now  why  options 
on  that  land  were  in  such  demand.  They  want  to 
put  a  railroad  through.  The  bill  has  just  been 
introduced  in  the  House." 

The  Professor  looked  pleased. 

"  That  will  mean  a  lot  of  money  for  us,  won't 
it?"  he  said. 

The  Senator  looked  at  the  Professor  sharply, 
but  it  was  impossible  to  suspect  such  a  guileless 
fellow. 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  171 

"  Come  with  me,"  he  said  at  last.  "  I  want  to 
talk  with  you." 

"  Is  it  so  very  important  ?  "  asked  the  Professor, 
closing  his  book,  regretfully.  The  Senator  assured 
him  that  it  was,  and  took  him  to  his  committee- 
room. 

"  If  you  were  any  one  else,"  he  explained,  "  I 
should  think  you  were  on  the  inside  in  this  busi- 
ness, for  you've  put  me  in  a  mighty  mean  position." 

"  I'm  sorry,"  asserted  the  Professor. 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  the  Senator,  "  but  it  doesn't 
alter  the  facts.  If  this  bill  goes  through  it  means 
a  lot  of  money  to  me  on  an  investment  that  you 
know  I  went  into  innocently." 

"  Is  there  any  reason  why  it  shouldn't  go 
through  ? "  asked  the  Professor. 

"  It  involves  land-grants  and  special  privileges 
that  will  be  worth  close  to  a  million  dollars  to  the 
people  back  of  the  scheme,"  explained  the  Senator, 
"  and  for  these  the  State  will  get  nothing." 

"  Oh !  "  said  the  Professor,  dismally ;  "  then  you 
can't  vote  for  it." 

"  Not  as  I  understand  it  now,"  said  the  Senator. 
He  was  pacing  back  and  forth  nervously,  and  he 
stopped  to  add :  "  But  it's  mighty  hard  to  let  a 
hundred  per  cent,  profit  get  away." 


172  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Is  your  vote  necessary  ?  "  asked  the  Professor. 

Again  the  Senator  looked  at  the  Professor 
sharply,  but  the  latter  seemed  as  innocent  and  guile- 
less as  before;  and  the  question  was  only  a  natural 
one.  The  profit  depended  upon  the  passage  of  the 
bill,  whether  he  voted  for  it  or  not.  Silence  alone 
might  be  effective. 

When  the  Senator  was  sought  out  by  a  reporter 
he  had  nothing  to  say.  As  he  had  been  looked  to 
for  a  scathing  arraignment  of  the  measure,  this 
was  surprising. 

"  It  has  been  very  vigorously  assailed  in  some 
quarters,"  suggested  the  reporter. 

"  I  know,  I  know,"  replied  the  Senator,  "  but  I 
am  not  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  details  of 
the  measure  to  discuss  it  now.  I  may  have  some- 
thing to  say  later." 

This  being  quoted  in  the  papers,  gave  joy  to 
many  people.  Senator  Duncan,  the  aggressive 
opponent  of  all  jobbery,  was  silent.  The  news- 
papers and  some  legislators  said  harsh  things,  but 
Senator  Duncan  refused  to  commit  himself  one 
way  or  another,  and  this  gave  courage  to  the  timor- 
ous ones  and  almost  convinced  those  who  did  not 
fully  understand  what  the^  measure  meant.  Then 
some  of  the  papers  changed  their  tone:  the  devel- 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  173 

opment  of  that  region  would  be  of  benefit  to  the 
State,  and,  in  view  of  the  conditions,  encourage- 
ment and  assistance  might  be  proper.  Perhaps  the 
railroad  people  were  asking  too  much,  but  there 
was  no  reason  why  something  should  not  be  con- 
ceded to  them.  Thus  the  issue  became  clouded. 
There  was  room  for  argument,  and,  when  there 
is  room  for  argument,  an  excuse  can  be  found  for 
almost  any  course  by  the  man  who  cares  to  hunt 
for  it.  There  were  many  people  hunting. 

Just  about  this  time  the  Professor  wrote  a  letter 
to  John  Wade. 

"  My  share  of  the  work  is  about  done,"  he  said. 
"  Send  on  your  lobby.  I'll  stay  here  and  watch 
things,  but  it's  time  for  some  one  who  is  supposed 
to  have  some  practical  knowledge  to  show  up  and 
do  a  little  talking.  He  must  keep  away  from  me, 
however." 

Wade  sent  for  Carroll. 

"  We're  ready  for  this  man  Tuttle  that  your 
people  think  so  highly  of,"  he  told  him.  "  Send 
him  to  me." 

Carroll  had  been  careful  to  say  nothing  of  his 
own  trip  to  the  capital,  and  Wade  did  not  know  how 
near  they  had  come  to  "failure  as  a  result  of  it,  or 


174  Slaves  of  Success 

he  might  have  made  some  caustic  comment  on  his 
associate's  "  coarse  "  methods. 

The  "  lobby  "  that  appeared  consisted  of  one  man 
—  Tuttle  —  and  this  man  worked  openly,  and 
spoke  with  apparent  frankness.  He  professed  to 
see  nothing  but  merit  in  the  bill,  and  he  argued 
cleverly  and  legitimately;  but  his  letters  explained 
more  than  his  published  interviews  or  his  public 
arguments.  "  The  outlook  is  bright,"  he  wrote. 
"  Duncan's  '  I  have  nothing  to  say '  is  worth  more 
to  us  than  another  man's  vote.  If  he  continues 
silent  there  will  be  no  trouble  in  the  House,  and 
probably  not  much  in  the  Senate.  His  course  so 
far  has  amply  justified  our  assurances  that  there 
was  nothing  to  fear  from  him,  and  our  stock  is 
high  in  this  town.  The  boys  are  satisfied  we  know 
what  we're  talking  about,  and  the  doubtful  ones  are 
so  sure  now  that  the  thing  is  going  through  any- 
how that  they  are  getting  anxious  for  seats  in  the 
wagon.  You  know  how  it  is.  So  long  as  they 
can't  stop  it,  they  might  as  well  be  on  the  inside. 
No  use  letting  honesty  go  to  waste  when  there  is 
'  something  doing '  that  can't  be  helped.  Well,  if 
the  Governor  isn't  tractable  we'll  need  them  all, 
including  Duncan.  I'm  going  to  see  Duncan  in  a 
day  or  so." 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  175 

Two  prominent  business  men  of  the  capital  city, 
having  no  connection  with  the  Legislature,  were 
present  at  the  interview  when  it  took  place,  and 
they  afterward  asserted  that  there  was  not  one 
improper  word  or  suggestion  in  the  whole  course 
of  it.  Tuttle  went  over  his  arguments,  giving  the 
difficulties  to  be  surmounted  as  a  reason  for  the 
unusual  demands. 

"  Though  the  land-grants  we  ask  are  valuable," 
he  said,  "  the  land  that  is  going  to  be  most  benefited 
is  beyond  our  reach.  I  confess  frankly  that  we 
tried  to  get  it,  but  somebody  had  an  option  on  it." 

"  What  land  was  that  ?  "  asked  the  Senator,  care- 
lessly. 

"  Right  at  the  fork  of  the  river,"  replied  Tuttle, 
marking  the  place  on  the  map  he  had  brought  with 
him.  "  We  planned  to  locate  some  shops  there, 
and,  of  course,  that  means  a  town-site.  Part  of  the 
land  we  want  we've  got,  or  at  least  we've  got  an 
option  on  it,  which  makes  it  the  more  important 
that  we  should  get  the  rest  of  it.  There's  only  a 
corner  of  one  big  tract,  adjoining  the  land  already 
within  our  reach,  that  we  need,  but  I  suppose  we'll 
have  to  buy  the  whole  tract ;  and,  now  that  our  plans 
are  known,  the  price  is  pretty  sure  to  be  high  — 
thirty  thousand  dollars  or  more,  very  likely,  but 


176  Slaves  of  Success 

we'll  have  to  pay  it.  However,  that  doesn't  interest 
you,"  continued  Tuttle.  "  I  mention  it  only  be- 
cause I  want  to  be  perfectly  frank  with  you.  All 
this  is  a  mere  incident  in  the  larger  plan.  We  want 
to  get  into  the  district  beyond  and  make  connections 
there  that  will  be  of  advantage  from  the  freight 
standpoint,  and  this  is  a  short,  although  difficult, 
route.  We  can  build  cheaper  in  a  more  roundabout 
way,  and  we'll  have  to  do  it  if  the  State  can't  see 
the  importance  of  encouraging  us.  Now,  here," 
and  he  went  at  the  map  again,  "  is  our  alternative 
route.  By  building  to  Scovil  we  can  connect  with 
the  D.  &  N.  and  reach  our  objective  point  that  way, 
but  then  we  cross  the  State-line  without  touching 
the  undeveloped  section.  It  ought  to  be  worth 
something  to  the  State  to  have  us  go  through  that, 
especially  as,  when  our  line  is  once  built  the  other 
way,  there  will  be  fewer  inducements  to  any  one 
else  to  build  the  more  direct  route.  Do  I  make 
myself  clear?  " 

"  Quite  so,"  replied  the  Senator.  "  It  will  be 
of  advantage  to  the  State  to  have  the  road  built,  but 
aren't  you  asking  too  high  a  price  from  the  State?  " 

"We  don't  think  so,"  replied  Tuttle,  promptly; 
"do  you?" 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  177 

"  I  shall  have  to  think  the  matter  over,"  said  the 
Senator,  evasively. 

So  the  two  business  men  reported  that  the  inter- 
view was  perfectly  frank  and  proper  in  every 
detail,  and  the  Senator  devoted  himself  to  "  think- 
ing the  matter  over."  Thirty  thousand  dollars  for 
that  land  would  mean  a  profit  of  $16,000  for  him 
and  $4,000  for  the  Professor.  The  land  was  not 
in  his  name,  and  there  would  be  no  record  of  the 
transaction,  so  far  as  he  was  concerned.  At  that 
moment  he  had  $8,000  tied  up  in  the  land,  for  $3,000 
of  which  he  had  given  his  individual  note.  If  the 
road  should  be  built  by  the  "  alternative  route " 
there  was  every  likelihood  that  his  money  would 
remain  tied  up  there,  for  this  action  would  make  it 
much  less  likely  that  any  other  road  would  try  the 
direct  route,  and  land  values  would  be  depressed 
in  consequence.  On  the  one  hand  there  was  a  big 
profit;  on  the  other,  a  financial  sacrifice  or  a  sum 
of  money  that  he  could  ill  spare  for  any  length  of 
time  tied  up  indefinitely,  and  a  note  for  $3,000 
to  meet. 

"  How  the  devil  did  the  Professor  ever  run  on  to 
that  land?  "  he  asked  himself,  irritably;  and  then  he 
told  a  reporter  who  sought  to  interview  him  that 


1J&  Slaves  of  Success 

anything  he  had  to  say  on  the  subject  would  be  said 
when  the  bill  reached  the  Senate,  and  not  before. 

"  Will  you  oppose  it?  "  persisted  the  reporter. 

"  Perhaps,"  replied  the  Senator;  "  but  it's  not  all 
bad.  There  is  room1  for  an  honest  difference  of 
opinion." 

Tuttle  and  the  Professor  chuckled  when  they  read 
that  statement,  and  there  was  joy  in  certain  legis- 
lative circles.  Senator  Duncan's  own  words  justi- 
fied them  in  any  position  they  might  see  fit  to  take, 
and  no  later  attack  on  the  measure  could  have  much 
force.  In  vain  the  unswervingly  honest  minority 
fought :  the  bill  went  through  the  House  by  a  good 
majority,  and  in  the  Senate  Duncan  was  still  silent. 
Others  opposed  it,  but  Duncan  had  nothing  to  say. 

Meanwhile,  the  Professor  pursued  the  even  tenor 
of  his  way,  not  entirely  forgetful  of  his  financial 
interests,  but  much  more  absorbed  in  his  researches. 
He  met  the  Senator  as  before,  and  he  occasionally 
asked  some  question  about  the  situation,  but  they 
were  innocent,  and  often  absurd,  questions,  and  in 
no  sense  arguments  for  or  against  the  measure.  In- 
deed, his  course  was  that  of  the  honourable  man 
who  would  sacrifice  his  own  interests  rather  than 
attempt  to  sway  his  friend  —  until  he  was  informed 
that  there  was  danger  of  failure. 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  179 

"  We  shall  need  Duncan's  vote,"  was  the  message 
brought  to  him.  "  We  must  have  it  for  the  moral 
effect  on  the  Governor  and  to  give  some  of  the 
weakening  Senators  backbone.  We  might  skim 
through  without  Duncan,  but  the  influence  of  his 
vote  will  give  us  the  majority  we  need  to  hold  a 
wavering  Governor." 

After  that  the  Professor,  for  the  first  time, 
brought  up  the  subject  in  a  direct  and  straightfor- 
ward way. 

"  I'm  going  to  give  an  option  on  my  interest  in 
that  land,"  he  said.  "  Then  perhaps  these  people 
will  let  me  alone.  You  see,  they  think  I  own  it  all, 
and  they're  driving  me  frantic." 

"  And  if  I  should  tear  up  the  contract  and  the 
unrecorded  deed,"  remarked  the  Senator,  thought- 
fully, "  you  would  own  it  all." 

"  Why,  of  course,"  exclaimed  the  Professor,  as 
if  the  thought  had  just  occurred  to  him.  "  You 
wouldn't  have  to  execute  any  papers  or  sign  any- 
thing, would  you?  That's  the  simplest  way  of 
transferring  land  that  I  ever  heard  of.  There 
wouldn't  even  be  a  record  of  it" 

"  No,"  said  the  Senator,  slowly ;  "  but  you  can't 
give  an  option  on  your  interest  without  betraying 
the  situation."  Thus  the  Senator  found  himself 


180  Slaves  of  Success 

deliberately  dallying  with  evil  and  frankly  consider- 
ing methods  of  subterfuge.  "  If  you're  bound  to 
do  it,"  he  added,  "  you'd  better  give  an  option  on 
the  whole  tract;  and  if  the  sale  is  made  I  can  make 
your  title  good  by  destroying  the  papers  I  hold." 

"  For  twenty-four  thousand  dollars,"  said  the 
Professor.  "  That  would  be  your  share  of  the 
thirty  thousand  dollars  option  price.  Why,  as  I 
understand  it,  it  would  be  my  deal  entirely,  and  I 
should  be  paying  out  this  sum  just  to  remove  any 
cloud  on  the  title.  Isn't  that  the  way  of  it?  I'm 
not  much  of  a  business  man,  but  that  seems  to  me 
right." 

"  It's  a  good  way  to  put  it,"  admitted  the  Senator ; 
"  a  surprisingly  good  way  for  an  unbusinesslike 
man." 

"  I'll  show  you,"  said  the  Professor,  with  the  joy- 
ousness  of  a  child  who  has  been  complimented, 
"  that  I  can  be  very  practical  when  I  try."  And 
he  proved  this  the  next  day  by  producing  a  contract, 
executed  by  a  real  estate  man,  to  take  the  land  at 
$30,000  the  moment  the  building  of  the  projected 
road  was  assured.  "  I  forced  him  to  come  right 
down  to  facts,"  he  explained,  jubilantly.  "  I  offered 
to  give  him  the  option  if  he  would  state  plainly  on 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  181 

what  conditions  he  would  pay  the  price  named,  and 
he  did  it." 

The  Senator  did  not  sleep  well  that  night.  He 
was  not  at  all  pleased  with  himself,  and  no  sophisti- 
cal arguments  could  quite  satisfy  his  conscience.  He 
had  gone  into  this  speculation  innocently,  and  a  man 
would  be  a  fool  not  to  protect  his  own  investments, 
but  —  that  troublesome  "  but "  ended  all  his  at- 
tempts at  justification.  He  was  in  a  distressing  pre- 
dicament. There  was  $24,000  within  reach,  or  there 
was  $8,000  tied  up  and  part  of  it  possibly  lost.  If 
any  man  had  attempted  to  bribe  him  he  would  have 
knocked  him  down ;  but  it  merely  happened  that  he 
had  interests  that  would  be  affected.  It  did  seem 
strange  that  he  happened  to  have  these  interests  just 
at  this  time,  but  —  Well,  there  was  no  use  bother- 
ing about  that.  Even  if  the  Professor  were  not  all 
that  he  had  honestly  believed  him  to  be,  it  would  not 
change  the  situation.  He  would  have  suspected  any 
other  man,  but  the  Professor  never  had  tried  to  in- 
fluence him  by  argument  of  any  sort : —  indeed,  he 
had  had  less  to  say  on  the  subject  of  the  railroad  bill 
than  almost  any  other  man  of  his  acquaintance. 
True,  the  last  contract  was  rather  surprising,  but  the 
Professor's  explanation  of  it  was  plausible.  Any- 
how, he  would  do  all  that  could  be  expected  of  him 


1 82  Slaves  of  Success 

if  he  refrained  from  voting.  That  was  a  course 
honourable  men  frequently  pursued  when  personal 
interests  were  likely  to  influence  their  judgment, 
but  — 

Senator  Duncan  was  still  worrying  over  the 
"  buts "  when,  by  invitation,  he  went  to  see  the 
Governor  the  next  day.  He  was  trying  not  to  frame 
in  words  the  fact  that  honourable  men  acted  openly 
in  such  matters,  even  when  they  did  not  vote.  They 
explained  the  situation,  and  he  could  not  explain 
without  killing  the  measure.  The  thing  would  not 
look  right.  He  might  better  vote  against  it  than 
try  to  explain  why  he  kept  silent. 

"  I  would  like  to  have  your  views  on  this  railroad 
bill,"  said  the  Governor.  "  I  confess  that  I  am  in 
doubt  about  it." 

The  Governor  was  a  weak  man,  and  no  one  knew 
it  better  than  the  Senator.  If  he  had  had  more 
courage  and  force  he  might  have  been  a  dangerous 
man,  but  he  dared  not  do  all  that  he  would  like  to 
do.  So  he  had  become  known  as  weak  rather  than 
bad,  but  he  was  not  a  man  to  look  for  flaws  in  a 
measure  that  was  politically  or  financially  expedient, 
so  long  as  he  was  properly  upheld. 

"  I  do  not  feel  like  passing  judgment  upon  it," 
said  the  Senator.  "  I  have  given  it  some  thought, 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  183 

but  there  are  many  things  to  be  considered.  The 
railroad  is  needed." 

"  Will  it  have  your  vote?  "  asked  the  Governor. 

"  I  do  not  know,"  answered  the  Senator,  after 
a  moment  of  hesitation.  "  The  road  ought  to  be 
built.  If  it  is  not  worth  the  price  asked  it  seems 
strange  that  no  one  else  has  offered  to  build  it  for 
less." 

"  That's  just  the  way  I  feel  about  it,"  said  the 
Governor,  evidently  relieved ;  "  but  it  is  viciously 
assailed." 

"  Unjustly  so,"  asserted  the  Senator,  led  to  say 
more  than  he  wished.  "  Some  men  are  so  consti- 
tuted that  they  cannot  see  both  sides  of  a  question. 
There  is  no  occasion  for  the  fierce  attacks  made  upon 
it  as  something  utterly  bad." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,"  said  the  Gov- 
ernor. "  The  multiplicity  of  my  duties  does  not  leave 
me  time  for  a  close  study  of  all  measures,  and  I  have 
to  be  guided  to  some  extent  by  those  in  whom  I 
have  confidence.  Your  silence  has  led  me  to  think 
you  do  not  find  it  entirely  bad,  and  if  it  had  your 
open  support  I  should  feel  perfectly  easy  about 
it." 

The  Senator  knew  that  the  Governor  was  trying 
to  justify  himself  to  his  conscience,  and,  incidentally, 


184  Slaves  of  Success 

to  acquire  the  courage  to  do  what  he  wanted  to  do. 
If  the  bill  went  through  by  a  good  majority  the 
Governor  would  not  hesitate;  if  it  barely  got  through 
the  Governor  might  be  frightened  into  vetoing  it. 
The  Senator  had  thought  of  having  important 
business  at  home  when  the  bill  came  up  for  final 
reading  and  passage,  but  he  dared  not  leave  now. 
Perhaps  the  bill  would  have  a  sufficient  majority 
without  him.  In  that  case  no  harm  would  be  done 
if  he  voted  "  no,"  and  thus  kept  his  record  clear, 
for  the  Governor  would  sign  it  if  he  dared.  But 
would  his  record  be  clear?  His  silence,  so  unusual 
in  such  a  case,  had  been  a  tacit  endorsement  of  the 
measure,  and  had  been  commented  upon  as  such. 
Still,  the  recorded  "  no  "  should  outweigh  that. 

Senator  Duncan  despised  himself  as  he  waited 
for  the  roll-call.  He  had  become  fretful  and  irri- 
table as  a  result  of  the  questions  of  his  colleagues; 
he  had  told  them  he  did  not  know  how  he  should 
vote,  and  he  spoke  truthfully.  He  also  told  them 
that  he  had  kept  out  of  the  debate  because  he  had 
been  unable  to  formulate  an  opinion  that  justified 
him  in  taking  a  decided  stand.  Then  he  stopped 
answering  questions  altogether. 

"  I'll  do  what  my  conscience  dictates  when  the 
time  comes,"  he  said,  and  he  knew,  that  he  was 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  185 

dishonest  at  heart,  no  matter  how  he  voted  in  the 
end.  He  had  been  corrupted  when  he  had  been 
lured  to  silence  and  later  to  a  verbal  justification  of 
those  who  favoured  the  measure.  Whether  inno- 
cently or  by  design,  he  had  been  corrupted,  and  just 
before  he  took  his  seat  he  had  telephoned  to  the 
library  to  know  if  the  Professor  was  there.  It  made 
little  difference,  but  it  would  be  some  satisfaction  to 
know  definitely  that  he  had  not  been  outwitted  and 
used  as  a  puppet.  If  the  Professor  was  engaged  in 
his  customary  researches  at  this  critical  moment  it 
would  be  pretty  good  evidence  that  he  had  acted  in- 
nocently in  the  matter,  and  that  would  be  some 
solace  to  the  worldly-wise  Senator.  He  was  in- 
formed that  the  Professor  was  there,  writing,  and 
he  felt  a  little  better.  No  one  had  tried  deliberately 
to  make  a  fool  or  a  tool  of  him :  he  was  the  victim 
of  circumstances.  How  could  he  know  that  the 
Professor  was  too  good  a  judge  of  human  nature  to 
appear  in  the  Senate  gallery  when  he  most  wished 
to  be  there? 

Two  men  who  preceded  Senator  Duncan  on  the 
roll-call  disappointed  him.  He  had  expected  them 
to  vote  for  the  bill,  but  one  was  absent  and  the  other 
voted  "  no."  This  apparent  defection  might  be  made 
up  farther  down  the  list,  but  there  was  no  certainty 


1 86  Slaves  of  Success 

of  it,  and  the  Senator  would  not  dare  to  change 
his  vote.  That  would  be  worse  than  voting  "  aye  " 
in  the  first  place.  Nor  could  he  keep  silent  now  and 
refuse  to  vote.  At  least  a  fair  majority  was  im- 
perative, and  there  were  some  that  his  vote  would 
influence.  Even  the  Governor  had  said  — 

"  Duncan !  "  called  the  clerk. 

It  was  his  property,  innocently  purchased;  why 
should  he  sacrifice  it?  He  had  come  honestly  into 
possession,  of  a  deed  and  a  contract  involving 
$24,000;  why  should  he  make  them  worthless? 
On  the  decision  of  the  moment  rested  this  sum. 

"  Aye,"  said  Senator  Duncan. 

Carroll  was  jubilant  when  he  heard  the  news; 
Carroll  was  to  be  well  paid  for  his  services.  In 
fact,  Carroll  already  had  some  stock  put  away,  and 
the  action  of  the  Legislature  made  this  stock  valu- 
able. 

Wade  said  nothing  until  Denton  reported. 

"  So  far  as  I  can  judge  from  surface  indications," 
said  Wade,  "  you  did  a  good  job  for  the  railroad, 
but  how  about  me?  " 

Denton  handed  him  a  photograph  of  the  Duncan 
contract. 

"  I  tried  to  get  a  receipt  for  the  money,  too,"  he 


A  Favour  for  a  Friend  187 

explained,  "  but  he  wouldn't  give  that,  and  it  seemed 
unwise  to  press  the  matter." 

"  This  is  quite  enough,"  returned  Wade.     "  It 
may  be  worth  a  United  States  Senatorship  to  me." 


VII. 

AZRO    CRAIG'S   AWAKENING 

THERE  is  no  day  of  rest  or  freedom  from  anxiety 
for  the  ambitious  politician.  Whatever  may  be  the 
victories  that  lie  behind,  there  is  always  something 
ahead  that  may  mean  defeat.  He  must  fight  and 
plan  steadily  and  persistently  to  gain  what  he  wishes 
or  retain  what  He  has:  inactivity  means  retro- 
gression. 

John  Wade  was  nearing  the  critical  point  in  his 
political  career  long  before  he  had  made  a  United 
States  Senatorship  the  goal  of  his  ambition.  Some 
men,  in  the  innermost  recesses  of  their  souls,  decide 
that  they  will  strive  for  the  Presidency,  and  never 
get  beyond  minor  municipal  or  State  offices;  they 
discover  that  the  Presidency  is  not  for  men  of  their 
class  and  that  they  never  had  any  real  expectation 
of  reaching  it.  Wade  was  more  practical.  He  ex- 
pected to  get  what  he  went  after,  but  he  was  wise 
enough  to  go  after  nothing  that  was  absolutely 

1 88 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          189 

beyond  his  reach.  The  Presidency,  he  decided,  was 
not  for  a  "  machine  "  manager,  for  the  public  had 
Presidential  ideals,  and  did  not  regard  "  machine  " 
management  with  particular  favour.  But  a  Senator- 
ship  was  easily  possible,  so  he  did  not  look  beyond  it. 

On  the  eve  of  the  battle,  like  a  good  general,  he 
made  a  careful  mental  review  of  his  forces,  his 
defences,  his  position,  and  the  position  of  the  enemy. 
He  was  reasonably  strong,  but  not  strong  enough  to 
be  at  all  sure  of  victory.  It  looked  to  him  like  this : 

He  could  not  count  on  Ben  Carroll,  and  Carroll 
might  be  needed.  He  had  stolen  from  Carroll  much 
of  Carroll's  power,  and  Carroll  was  not  a  man  to 
part  with  power  joyously :  he  needed  it  for  financial 
purposes.  He  was  vindictive,  but  he  never  lost 
sight  of  his  own  interests.  Consequently,  he  might 
still  be  controlled.  He  was  still  a  "  machine  "  lever, 
and,  if  this  lever  failed  to  "  work  "  at  a  critical 
moment,  it  might  throw  the  whole  thing  out  of 
gear.  Therefore,  it  was  necessary  that  Carroll 
should  be  controlled. 

Aside  from  this,  things  were  very  favourable. 
Wade  had  succeeded  in  organizing  the  previous 
Legislature  by  putting  Henry  Wellington  in  as 
Speaker  of  the  House,  and,  through  Wellington,  he 
had  been  able  to  confer  many  favours  and  make 


190  Slaves  of  Success 

many  friends.  Incidentally,  he  had  been  able  also 
to  discover  who  would  be  tractable  and  who  would 
not,  and  some  of  the  intractable  ones  had  been  re- 
tired at  the  election  that  followed.  But  there  was 
a  distressing  element  of  uncertainty  in  one  quarter. 
He  had  enabled  Dan  Nally,  alias  Dick  Haggin,  to 
escape  the  meshes  of  the  law,  but  there  seemed  to 
be  a  lack  of  gratitude  for  this.  Nally  had  strong 
political  friends,  of  whom  State  Senator  Abbey  was 
one,  and  many  of  these  friends  seemed  to  understand 
that  Wade  had  not  acted  willingly  in  the  matter, 
that  he  had  been  forced  to  bestir  himself  as  a  matter 
of  political  expediency.  He  had  done  what  no  other 
could  do,  but  others,  notably  Carroll,  had  exerted 
themselves  more  cheerfully.  He  had  forced  a  pledge 
from  Senator  Abbey,  but  it  looked  very  much  as  if 
Carroll  had  the  greater  influence  with  some  new 
members  from  that  vicinity.  Still,  Wade  was  per- 
sonally stronger  than  he  had  been  in  the  preceding 
Legislature.  He  felt  that  he  could  count  absolutely 
on  Azro  Craig,  and  Craig  had  developed  into  a  man 
of  wide  influence  with  the  country  members.  True, 
Craig  had  proved  recalcitrant  in  one  or  two  matters, 
but  that  was  because  he  believed  them  outside  his 
province  as  a  legislator,  and  his  antipathy  to  Carroll 
was  deep-rooted.  He  would  surely  be  for  Wade  in 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          191 

so  personal  a  fight.  Then  there  was  David  Clow, 
who  was  confidently  counted  upon  by  the  opposition, 
but  Wade  only  laughed  when  he  thought  of  him. 
Clow  was  a  man  who  had  given  a  mortgage  on  him- 
self that  only  needed  to  be  foreclosed.  Senator 
Weston,  who  wished  to  succeed  himself,  might  think 
he  had  Clow,  but  he  would  learn  his  mistake  later. 
The  situation  was  much  the  same  in  the  case  of  Sen- 
ator Horace  Duncan.  The  Senator  had  no  hesitation 
in  saying  that  he  would  vote  for  Weston,  but  Wade 
had  reason  to  believe  that  he  would  change  his  mind 
at  the  moment  when  that  change  would  be  most 
effective.  The  fact  that  the  Senator  had  no  sus- 
picion of  this  was  of  no  importance  whatever: 
Wade  frequently  knew  what  a  man  would  do  better 
than  the  man  himself. 

Having  reviewed  the  situation  mentally,  Wade 
wisely  went  to  work  to  discover  whether  he  had 
made  any  mistakes  in  his  figures.  He  had  various 
lieutenants  that  he  used,  but  some  things  he  deemed 
it  best  to  look  after  personally.  He  would  make 
doubly  sure  of  Craig  first. 

"  I  ain't  promisin',"  said  Craig,  sullenly. 

"  I  thought  you  were  my  friend,  Azro,"  urged 
Wade. 

"  I  was,"  replied  Craig,  "  but  you  got  too  many 


192  Slaves  of  Success 

friends.  Anybody's  your  friend  that'll  do  what  you 
want." 

"  Haven't  I  been  a  friend  to  you  ?  " 

"  Ye-es,"  admitted  Craig,  "  but  you  been  a  friend 
to  Carroll,  too,  an'  you  can't  be  a  real  friend  to  both 
of  us.  I've  learned  a  thing  or  two  since  I  been  to 
Springfield,  Jack.  I  was  ag'in  the  '  machine '  first, 
an'  I  thought  you  was  ag'in  it,  but  you  ain't.  You're 
part  of  it  —  the  very  best  part  of  it,  I  guess,  but 
part  of  it  jest  the  same.  Mebbe  we  got  to  have  a 
'  machine '  o'  some  sort,  like  folks  say,  an'  I  reckon 
I  got  to  vote  for  it  one  way  or  another,  but  I'm  ag'in 
Carroll.  He's  the  worst  there  is  in  *  machine  'poli- 
tics. They  say  he's  goin'  to  be  with  Senator  Weston 
for  reelection,  an'  —  " 

"  Who  says  so?  "  interrupted  Wade. 

"  Lots  o'  folks,"  replied  Craig.  "  I'm  wiser  than 
I  was,  Jack,  an'  I  been  nosin'  'round  a  little  to  see 
how  things  is  goin'  to  be  at  the  next  session,  jest 
like  you.  Weston  has  got  some  things  organized 
better'n  you  think.  He's  reachin'  for  your  '  ma- 
chine.' If  he  gets  the  Carroll  end  of  it,  I'm  with 
you,  but  I  ain't  makin'  no  other  promises." 

"  Do  you  remember  when  you  came  to  Chicago 
two  years  ago?  "  asked  Wade. 

"  Ye-es." 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          193 

"  Did  you  find  a  better  friend  than  I  was?  Did 
any  one  treat  you  any  better?  " 

"  No-o ;  but  I'm  beginnin'  to  think  it  was  politics, 
Jack.  I  been  tryin'  to  keep  on  believin'  in  you  — 
tryin'  hard  —  but  it  ain't  jest  easy.  I  don't  know 
as  I  can  do  it  any  more,  if  you  harness  up  with 
Carroll  ag'in." 

"  Carroll  and  I  are  out,"  said  Wade. 

"'  Betsy  an'  I  are  out/"  quoted  Craig,  "but 
*  Betsy  an'  I '  made  up  ag'in.  I'm  watchin'  an' 
thinkin',  an'  I'm  learnin'  the  ways  of  politics." 

The  shock  of  this  enigmatical  and  unsatisfactory 
reply  made  Wade  nervous  about  other  people.  He 
had  not  doubted  his  ability  to  get  an  absolute  pledge 
from  Craig,  and  he  found  him  almost  combative. 
If  he  gained  Carroll,  he  would  lose  Craig  in  all 
probability.  He  might  keep  a  Carroll  alliance  in 
the  background,  as  Carroll  was  not  personally  a 
member  of  the  Legislature,  but  Craig  had  gained  in 
wisdom  and  suspicion. 

"  These  simple  fellows  from  the  back  districts 
are  the  most  uncertain  propositions  on  earth,"  he 
mused.  "  You  have  some  basis  of  judgment  with 
ordinary  men,  but  you  never  can  tell  what  one  of 
these  fellows  will  do." 

And  the  session  of  the  Legislature  that  would 


194  Slaves  of  Success 

elect  a  United  States  Senator  would  begin  shortly. 
Clearly,  it  was  time  to  investigate  every  detail  of 
his  position  personally,  so  far  as  that  was  possible. 
One  of  his  lieutenants  had  brought  him  cheering 
news  from  Senator  Abbey,  but  he  decided  to  see  the 
Senator  himself. 

"  Senator,"  he  said,  "  you  haven't  forgotten  the 
programme,  have  you?  " 

"No,"  replied  the  State  Senator,  "but  you're 
going  to  have  trouble,  Wade." 

"In  what  way?" 

"  Well,  I  can  see  the  signs  of  a  nasty  fight  blow- 
ing up,"  explained  Abbey.  "  You're  not  very  strong 
in  some  ways,  Wade,  and  public  sentiment  is  going 
to  be  against  you." 

"  Public  sentiment  doesn't  elect  men  to  the  United 
States  Senate,"  remarked  Wade,  sententiously. 

"  No,  but  public  sentiment  sometimes  defeats 
men  who  want  to  go  there,"  returned  Abbey.  "  It's 
stronger  negatively  than  it  is  affirmatively,  and 
you're  going  to  have  a  hard  time  getting  the  party 
to  unite  on  you.  If  you  can't  show  up  with  more 
than  a  caucus  majority  at  the  start,  you  haven't  a 
chance;  if  you  can,  I  think  you  can  win.  Most  of 
Weston's  strength  is  pledged  to  him  conditionally. 
He's  got  to  make  a  certain  showing  to  win." 


Azro   Craig's  Awakening          195 

"  How  about  you?" 

"  I'm  with  you,  of  course.  I  told  you  that  when 
you  pulled  Dan  Nally  out  of  the  fire  and  saved  my 
district  for  me.  But  you  didn't  do  it  gracefully, 
Wade,  and  some  of  the  people  over  there  haven't 
forgotten  it.  They're  beginning  to  think  you're  not 
one  of  the  good  people.  They  won't  stick  to  you 
very  long,  if  Carroll  goes  to  Weston.  They  like 
Carroll.  Are  you  sure  of  Carroll  ?  " 

"  I'll  be  sure  of  him." 

"  That's  good.  You'll  need  him.  There  are  two 
new  men  from  that  district,  and  some  more  near 
enough  to  be  affected  by  conditions  there.  With 
Carroll  back  of  you,  you  can  count  on  six  votes  in 
a  bunch ;  without  Carroll,  you  can  have  four  of  the 
six  on  the  first  ballot,  but  I  can't  hold  more  than  two 
after  that.  I've  pulled  a  few  wires  for  you  else- 
where, however,  that  will  give  you  three  more  votes 
in  addition  to  my  own,  so  you  can  credit  me  with  a 
total  of  eight  on  joint  ballot  or  in  caucus.  That's 
not  so  bad." 

"  But  I  want  to  hold  them,"  argued  Wade.  "  This 
thing  isn't  going  to  be  settled  in  a  minute." 

"  Can't  be  held  without  Carroll,"  replied  Abbey ; 
"  that  is,  all  of  them  can't,  unless  you  make  a  mighty 
big  showing  right  from  the  jump.  I  tell  you,  some 


196  Slaves  of  Success 

of  those  people  think  pretty  well  of  Weston.  If  he 
shows  up  strong,  you  and  Carroll  together  will  have 
all  you  can  do  to  hold  them.  And  there's  another 
thing,  Wade." 

"What?" 

"  You'd  better  see  if  you  can't  check  the  popular 
endorsement  of  Weston.  That's  going  to  hurt.  As 
I  said  before,  public  sentiment  can  defeat  a  man 
easier  than  it  can  elect  him.  You  haven't  got  a  firm 
enough  grip  on  your  votes  to  hold  them,  if  the  thing 
gets  too  strong.  Can't  you  do  something  with 
Trumbull?" 

"  I'll  try,"  said  Wade. 

John  N.  Trumbull  was  chairman  of  the  Political 
Action  Committee  of  the  Central  Club.  He  was  also 
the  husband  of  Mrs.  Helen  R.  Trumbull,  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  State  University,  and  Wade  had  been 
outwardly  very  "  clever "  to  Mrs.  Trumbull,  al- 
though not  always  the  true  friend  that  he  seemed. 
In  fact,  he  had  assisted  Carroll  in  an  unsuccessful 
effort  to  make  her  "  tractable  "  in  relation  to  certain 
university  affairs,  but  he  had  considerately  allowed 
Carroll  to  get  all  the  blame  for  it.  That  was  Wade's 
way.  Trumbull  had  taken  no  a~ctive  part  in  the 
campaign,  but  he  was  influential,  and  Wade  had 
once  before  considered  the  advisability  of  going  to 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          197 

him.  Weston  had  made  a  fairly  satisfactory  Sen- 
ator, and  the  Central  Club,  being  a  Republican  or- 
ganization, thought  it  only  fair  to  endorse  him  for 
another  term.  Still,  it  was  far  from  wildly  enthu- 
siastic, and  Wade  had  not  feared  that  a  perfunctory 
endorsement  would  do  any  great  harm.  It  was  the 
Legislature,  and  not  the  Central  Club,  that  was 
going  to  elect  a  United  States  Senator.  But  very 
recently  things  had  taken  a  new  turn.  A  strong 
undercurrent  of  opposition  to  the  "  machine  "  poli- 
tician had  developed,  and  it  would  take  little  to 
bring  it  to  the  surface  and  change  it  into  a  wave 
of  popular  disapproval.  A  perfunctory  resolution 
by  the  Central  Club  might  do  it.  Wherefore,  Wade 
decided  to  act  upon  Senator  Abbey's  suggestion. 

Trumbull  greeted  Wade  cordially,  for  he  felt  that 
Mrs.  Trumbull  was  indebted  to  him  for  many  cour- 
tesies and  much  assistance  in  the  discharge  of  her 
semi-public  duties.  It  is  the  unconscious  influence 
of  woman  that  counts  most.  If  Mrs.  Trumbull  had 
made  an  effort  to  direct  her  husband's  political 
course,  or  had  endeavoured  to  show  him  by  argu- 
ment that  he  should  be  particularly  friendly  to 
Wade,  she  would  have  failed.  As  it  was,  she  had 
merely  told  how  obliging  he  had  been  and  had  com- 
mented frequently  on  the  fact  that  he  was  the  most 


198  Slaves  of  Success 

gentlemanly  of  all  the  politicians  she  had  met.  So, 
as  Trumbull's  personal  intercourse  with  Wade  had 
been  equally  satisfactory,  he  felt  very  favourably 
disposed  to  the  man  who  had  done  so  much  for  his 
wife. 

"  I  understand,  Mr.  Trumbull,"  said  Wade,  after 
a  few  desultory  remarks,  "  that  your  Committee  on 
Political  Action  will  endorse  Senator  Weston." 

"  I  think  it  quite  likely,"  admitted  Trumbull, 
"  although  I  shall  not  advocate  any  such  action." 

"  Couldn't  you  oppose  it  ?  "  asked  Wade. 

"  Hardly,"  replied  Trumbull.  "  You  surely  do 
not  expect  the  committee  to  endorse  you  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Wade,  "  but  I  don't  see  why  it  should 
endorse  anybody.  Your  club,  although  Republican, 
is  not  primarily  a  political  club,  and  it  does  not 
ordinarily  mix  up  in  Senatorship  contests.  It  is 
for  the  party,  and  not  for  the  faction.  Why  should 
the  rule  be  changed  this  time?  " 

"  It  seems  to  be  the  sentiment  of  the  club,"  an- 
swered Trumbull,  evasively. 

"  But  is  it  fair  ?  "  insisted  Wade,  speaking  with 
great  earnestness.  "  It  is  an  attempt  to  use  your 
club  in  factional  politics,  Mr.  Trumbull;  it  is  part 
of  a  political  scheme.  If  you  formally  endorse  Wes- 
ton, that  endorsement  will  be  placed  on  the  desk  of 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          199 

every  member  of  the  Legislature  on  the  opening 
day,  and  it  will  be  sent  to  every  country  paper.  It 
will  give  the  impression  that  the  city  is  for  Weston 
and  against  me  almost  solidly,  and  that  is  a  false 
impression.  You  know  it,  Mr.  Trumbull ;  you  know 
that  it  is  cleverly  arranged  so  that  no  one  can  vote 
against  this  endorsement  without  seeming  to  dis- 
parage or  condemn  Weston's  Washington  record, 
which  is  fairly  good." 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?  "  asked  Trumbull ; 
for,  put  in  this  light,  the  thing  really  did  look  un- 
fair. 

"  I  want  you  to  prevent  any  endorsement  of  any 
kind,"  said  Wade.  "  You  can  do  it ;  you  have  the 
personal  and  official  influence  to  do  it.  As  chairman 
of  the  committee,  you  have  only  to  point  out  that 
it  is  unusual  and  is  establishing  a  precedent  that  is 
likely  to  make  future  trouble.  Protest  vigorously 
against  the  introduction  of  factional  politics  into  a 
club  of  merchants  and  professional  men  that  never 
before  has  done  more  than  simply  to  be  for  the  party 
solidly  when  big  issues  were  at  stake.  There  are 
only  a  few  who  want  to  do  this  thing;  the  rest  of 
them  don't  even  see  the  point  that  is  being  made. 
They  think  they  are  only  endorsing  a  past  record." 

Trumbull  drummed  thoughtfully  on  his  desk  with 


2OO  Slaves  of  Success 

a  pencil.  He  knew  that  there  was  much  of  truth  in 
what  Wade  said,  that  it  was  largely  a  political 
scheme  by  a  few  men  for  Weston's  benefit;  but  he 
also  knew  that  it  was  Wade's  objectionable  "  ma- 
chine "  record  that  made  this  possible.  Then  he 
thought  of  Mrs.  Trumbull  and  the  various  things 
she  had  said.  So  far  as  he  could  give  it  to  him, 
Wade  was  surely  entitled  to  a  fair  show. 

"  I'll  do  it,"  he  said,  at  last.  "  It  will  be  time 
enough  to  endorse  Weston's  previous  record  when 
his  term  ends." 

Trumbull  did  not  see  all  that  Wade  saw  in  this 
action,  for  Trumbull  did  not  know  all  that  Wade 
knew.  Among  the  knowing  ones  it  already  had 
been  whispered  that  the  Central  Club  would  en- 
dorse Weston.  When  it  failed  to  do  SO',  the  Wes- 
ton  campaign  would  receive  a  serious  jar  that 
would  be  almost  equal  to  an  endorsement  of  Wade. 
It  would  be  a  setback. 

"  Now,  if  I  can  hit  them  somewhere  else,"  he 
told  himself,  "  I'll  have  things  coming  my  way." 

He  thought  of  David  Clow,  the  man  who  had 
unwittingly  mortgaged  himself.  Clow  was  a  Wes- 
ton man,  and  Wade  had  let  him  think  he  could  be 
one.  But  when  the  time  comes  to  strike,  there  is 
nothing  like  having  several  blows  come  at  once. 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          201 

The  moral  effect  of  the  defection  of  Clow  would 
be  the  greater  if  it  closely  followed  the  Central 
Club  disappointment.  And  Wade  was  leaving  noth- 
ing to  others  now  that  he  could  possibly  attend  to 
himself;  the  stake  was  too  large. 

"  Clow,"  he  said,  when  .  he  reached  that  legis- 
lator's home  in  a  distant  part  of  the  State,  "  they 
tell  me  you  are  for  Weston." 

"  Yes,  I  am,"  replied  Clow. 

"  You  ought  to  be  for  me,  Clow." 

"I  don't  think  so,"  said  Clow.  "The  people 
who  sent  me  to  the  Legislature  don't  think  you're 
the  man  to  be  Senator." 

Wade  winced  at  this,  but  he  did  not  change  his 
rather  patronizing  tone.  Wade,  with  a  man  in  his 
power,  was  a  very  different  man  from  the  Wade 
who  was  seeking  to  gain  his  ends  by  clever  ar- 
gument. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  last  session  ? "  asked 
Wade. 

"  Yes,"  answered  Clow. 

"  Do  you  remember  the  bill  before  the  Commit- 
tee on  Commerce  —  the  bill  to  regulate  the  express 
company  business?" 

"  I  voted  honestly  on  that  bill,"  declared  Clow, 
excitedly. 


202  Slaves  of  Success 

"  But  you  speculated  on  advance  information  of 
what  the  committee  would  do." 

"  So  did  you !  "  cried  Clow. 

"You  don't  know  whether  I  did  or  not,"  re- 
turned Wade,  coldly,  "  but  I  know  you  did." 

"  It  was  honest,"  insisted  Clow.  "  You  know 
it  was  honest.  And  you  put  up  the  job,  John  Wade ! 
You  knew  I  was  hard  up!  You  were  back  of  the 
people  that  were  pressing  me!  And  then  you 
showed  me  the  way  out  by  using  the  stock  market, 
and  you  said  you'd  put  my  deal  in  with  yours.  You 
and  Carroll  worked  that  together." 

"That's  a  lie,  Clow!" 

Clow  looked  ready  to  spring  at  his  accuser,  but 
he  stopped  to  think,  and  thought  brought  worry. 
He  had  speculated  oni  committee  information,  but 
he  had  not  allowed  it  to  influence  his  vote. 

"  Carroll  has  his  ways  and  I  have  mine,"  Wade 
added.  "  Carroll  tried  to  force  you  to  vote  for 
the  boodle  end  of  that  bill,  while  I  only  tried  to 
make  you  my  friend.  What  I  did  for  you  was  done 
on  your  written  order.  Do  you  remember  it?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Clow,  and  all  the  strength  and  life 
seemed  to  go  out  of  him  now. 

"  I  want  you  to  be  my  friend,  Clow,"  said  Wade, 
meaningly. 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          203 

"  It  will  kill  me  in  this  district,"  pleaded  Clow. 

"  The  papers  I  hold,"  said  Wade,  menacingly, 
"will  make  you  infamous  in  every  district;  they'll 
drive  you  from  the  State.  Previous  to  a  report  by 
your  committee  you  speculated  in  stocks  that  would 
be  affected  by  that  report.  No  matter  how  honest 
your  vote  may  have  been,  that  fact  will  kill  you. 
You're  respected  here  now,  you've  been  sent  to  the 
Legislature  a  second  time,  you  can  go  again  after 
this  term  —  if  they  don't  find  you  out." 

"  Never,  if  I  vote  for  you,"  said  Qow. 

"  But  you  can  live  here;  you  won't  be  an  out- 
cast, a  byword,  a  shunned  man,  a  convicted  grafter. 
Oh!  you  needn't  protest  that  you  didn't  graft! 
It's  not  what  I  know;  it's  what  your  friends  and 
neighbours  and  the  people  of  the  State  will  think 
they  know  when  they  see  these  papers." 

"  Where  are  they?  "  asked  Qow,  a  sudden  wild 
gleam  in  his  eye, 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  bring  them  with  me,"  laughed 
Wade.  "  I  don't  think  you  could  take  them  from 
me,  but  I'm  not  risking  it."  Then  insinuatingly, 
"  I  want  you  to  be  my  friend,  Clow.  I'd  give  up 
any  old  papers  to  a  friend  —  when  he  has  proved 
his  friendship." 

"  All  right,"  said  Qow,  almost  inaudibly. 


204  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I  want  you  to  send  word  to  Chicago  that  you 
have  broken  away  from  Weston.  I'll  know  when 
it  gets  there,  and  I'll  know  if  it  doesn't  get  there. 
You  needn't  say  anything  about  it  here,  but  I  want 
you  to  come  out  for  me  strong  when  you  get  to 
Springfield.  It  won't  hurt  you  very  much.  Weston 
is  strong  with  the  people  here,  but  I'll  make  so  good 
a  Senator  that  it  will  all  be  forgiven  by  the  time  you 
are  ready  to  run  again." 

"  I'll  do  it,"  said  Clow.  Wade  noticed  the  big 
drops  of  perspiration  on  his  forehead  and  was  weak 
enough  to  regret  that  he  had  to  do  what  he  had 
done.  With  the  exception  of  the  preliminaries,  the 
job  had  been  more  in  Carroll's  line. 

"  If  it  will  make  you  feel  any  better,"  Wade  said, 
in  parting,  "  I'll  tell  you  that  I  know  your  vote  was 
honest  and  that  Carroll  failed  to  get  you  to  take 
the  boodle  view,  but  the  fact  that  you  speculated 
on  your  own  committee  action  looks  bad,  very  bad. 
You're  wise  to  arrange  to  get  those  papers  back. 
I'll  deliver  them  to  you  at  Springfield." 

Wade  returned  to  Chicago  with  a  reasonably 
light  heart,  for  he  eased  his  conscience  by  telling 
himself  that  he  would  surely  take  care  of  Clow  in 
some  way,  in  case  the  latter's  constituents  should 
prove  unforgiving. 


Azro   Craig's  Awakening          205 

Then  he  gave  his  attention  to  Duncan,  and  this 
was  an  entirely  different  proposition.  Duncan  was 
more  worldly  wise  than  Clow.  He  had  had  more 
experience,  and  he  was  aggressively  strong  where 
Clow  was  only  negatively  strong.  The  idea  of  an 
interview  did  not  impress  Wade  favourably,  for  one 
never  could  tell  what  Duncan  might  do.  But  he 
needed  Duncan  —  not  so  much  for  his  one  vote  as 
for  the  moral  effect  of  that  vote. 

After  considerable  thought,  Wade  adopted  an 
unusual  and  ingenious  method  of  getting  Duncan's 
attention :  he  mailed  him  a  copy  of  the  photograph 
of  the  contract  with  the  Professor. 

"  He's  wise  enough  to  know  that  it  means  some- 
thing," Wade  reasoned,  "  and  that  he'll  find  out 
what  it  is  later,  if  he  keeps  silent.  If  he  holds  his 
tongue  I'll  get  him;  if  he  yells — well,  I'd  rather 
have  him  yell  before  I  get  mixed  up  in  the  affair." 

Duncan  did  not  yell.  He  reasoned,  as  Wade  had 
expected,  that  something  lay  behind  this  action,  and 
he  decided  to  wait  until  he  learned  what  it  was.  He 
could  do  nothing  else,  so  far  as  he  could  see.  His 
vote  on  the  railroad  measure  had  hurt  him,  and 
there  could  be  no  possible  satisfactory  explanation 
of  this  contract.  It  seemed  to  his  friends  as  if  Sen- 
ator Duncan  aged  ten  years  in  a  single  night. 


206  Slaves  of  Success 

Wade  waited  three  days  for  him  to  speak,  and 
then  he  sent  a  man  to  him  with  this  verbal  mes- 
sage: 

"  Mr.  Wade  says  that  the  negative  and  all  copies 
of  the  photograph  may  be  had  after  the  vote  on  the 
Senatorship." 

The  messenger  did  not  know  to  what  this  re- 
ferred, but  the  Senator  did :  he  knew  how  he  would 
have  to  vote  to  gain  this;  he  knew  that  refusal 
spelled  ruin  for  him.  Furthermore,  if  he  purposed 
voting  for  Wade,  it  was  necessary  to  prepare  the 
way,  for  a  sensational  shift  at  the  last  moment 
would  hardly  do. 

Shortly  thereafter  the  rumour  gained  currency 
that  Senator  Duncan  would  support  Wade;  and 
there  were  lines  in  Senator  Duncan's  face  that  had 
not  been  there  before. 

Carroll  was  the  next  on  Wade's  list.  Carroll  was 
still  disgruntled,  but  he  was  always  able  to  see  where 
his  personal  advantage  lay,  and  Wade  was  in  a 
position  to  talk  convincingly  now.  He  went  over 
the  ground  very  thoroughly,  checking  off  men  on 
a  list  of  the  Republican  members  of  the  Legislature, 
and  Carroll  had  to  admit  that  he  made  a  very  fair 
statement  of  the  case.  Carroll's  own  investigations 
corroborated  the  reports  that  Wade  had  received 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          207 

from  his  lieutenants  and  now  presented  for  consid- 
eration. 

"  You've  got  a  pretty  long1  list  of  uncertainties 
there,"  commented  Carroll.  "  It  will  take  very  little 
to  make  most  of  those  people  jump  either  way.  The 
Central  Club  action  may  do  it." 

"  No,"  said  Wade,  with  calm  confidence.  "  The 
Central  Club's  failure  to  act  will  do  it.  The  club's 
Committee  on  Political  Action  met  this  morning." 

"  Well  ?  "  said  Carroll,  inquiringly. 

"  It  refused  to  endorse  any  one,  which  means  that 
it  tacitly  endorsed  me.  A  Weston  endorsement  was 
expected,  the  Weston  people  said  it  was  coming ;  it 
hasn't  come.  That's  a  black  eye  for  Weston,  isn't 
it?" 

"  How  the  devil  did  that  happen  ?  "  demanded 
Carroll. 

"  Why,  it  was  all  framed  up.  Your  Uncle  John 
hasn't  been  asleep,  Carroll,"  returned  Wade.  "  It 
makes  no  difference  how  it  happened,  so  long  as 
Weston  got  the  jolt.  If  you  don't  believe  me,  you'll 
find  it  in  the  afternoon  papers."  And  Wade  pro- 
duced one. 

The  headlines  were  enough  for  Carroll,  but  he 
made  a  pretence  of  reading  the  article  to  give  him 
a  moment  for  thought. 


208  Slaves  of  Success 

"  That's  going  to  hurt,"  he  admitted,  at  last.  "  It 
wouldn't  be  so  bad  if  the  Weston  people  hadn't  made 
such  a  point  of  it  during  the  last  few  days." 

"  It's  not  the  only  mistake  the  Weston  people 
have  made,"  said  Wade,  with  slow  impressiveness. 
"  They  have  been  counting  on  Clow  as  one  of  their 
right-hand  men  in  his  part  of  the  State.  Clow  will 
be  throwing  his  hat  in  the  air  and  yelling  for  me 
at  Springfield." 

"  Why,  he's  been  one  of  the  strongest  Weston 
men !  "  cried  Carroll. 

"He's  seen  the  error  of  his  ways,"  returned 
Wade. 

"  How  did  you  do  it  ?  "  asked  Carroll,  with  eager 
curiosity. 

"  Never  mind  that,"  replied  Wade.  "  I  some- 
times get  my  good  cards  a  long  time  before  I  play 
them." 

"  It  was  that  express  deal !  "  exclaimed  Carroll. 
"  I  never  could  quite  understand  the  finish  of  that." 

"  Let's  not  bother  with  ancient  history,"  said 
Wade.  "  Duncan  will  be  with  me,  too.  If  the 
Weston  people  haven't  got  their  second  jolt  by  to- 
morrow night,  we'll  call  it  all  off.  If  they  have, 
you'd  better  get  into  the  band-wagon.  I  want  you 
with  me,  Carroll." 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          209 

Carroll  did  not  reply  for  several  minutes.  He 
was  wise  enough  to  see  the  strength  of  his  position, 
and  it  was  not  often  that  he  was  able  to  dictate 
terms  to  Wade. 

"  How  about  Craig?  "  he  asked,  at  last. 

"  If  I  have  you,"  answered  Wade,  "  Craig  will 
have  to  follow  the  party ;  I'll  be  strong  enough  for 
that.  If  I  don't  have  you,  I'll  have  Craig,  and  you'll 
have  to  follow  the  party.  It  looks  as  if  I  could  win 
either  way." 

"  No,  you  can't,"  retorted  Carroll,  apparently 
reaching  a  decision.  "  Without  either  me  or  Craig 
you  and  Weston  stood  about  even.  The  Central 
Club  and  Clow  affairs  will  give  you  a  lead,  and  Craig 
will  add  something  to  that  lead ;  but,  if  I  throw  my 
strength  to  Weston,  he'll  be  on  even  terms  with  you 
again,  and  it's  anybody's  fight.  Craig  is  a  mighty 
poor  offset  for  me,  Wade;  he  isn't  enthusiastic 
enough  to  bring  many  votes  with  him  in  this  matter. 
I  can  give  you  strength  enough  to  practically  put 
Weston  out  of  the  running,  for  he  can't  hold  a  lot 
of  his  people  in  an  up-hill  fight.  If  they  start  in  your 
direction,  as  they  will,  you  can  poll  the  full  party 
strength  on  joint  ballot  before  he  knows  what  has 
happened.  Craig  will  have  to  tail  on.  You  need 
me,  Wade,  and  you'll  have  to  pay  for  me." 


2IO  Slaves  of  Success 

"  What's  the  price?  "  asked  Wade,  realizing  that 
Carroll  had  figured  the  thing  out  more  carefully  than 
was  his  custom. 

Carroll  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  puffed  the 
smoke  of  his  cigar  in  Wade's  direction.  He  was 
absolute  master  of  the  situation  for  almost  the  first 
time  —  master  because  Wade's  ambition  had  led  him 
to  make  of  himself  one  of  the  political  puppets  with 
which  he  was  accustomed  to  play. 

"  To  save  myself  on  Treasurer  Hackley's  bond," 
said  Carroll,  in  order  to  refresh  Wade's  memory, 
"  when  Mrs.  Trumbull  whipsawed  us  in  the  matter 
of  forcing  an  accounting,  I  had  to  redeem  the  State 
University  securities  that  he  had  hypothecated.  He 
never  has  paid  the  notes  he  gave  me  at  that  time, 
and  a  suit  on  them  would  bring  out  disagreeable 
inside  facts.  He  may  pay  them  in  time,  if  he  suc- 
ceeds in  getting  on  a  more  solid  financial  basis,  but 
I  don't  think  I  ought  to  run  all  the  risk.  There  are 
two  notes,  Wade.  I'd  like  to  sell  you  one  of  them 
at  its  face  value,  with  interest  to  date." 

"  I  can't  afford  it,  Carroll,"  pleaded  Wade. 

"  Then  you  can't  afford  to  be  Senator,"  retorted 
Carroll,  decisively. 

"  Any  kind  of  a  political  deal  —  " 

"  Those  are  the  terms,"  interrupted  Carroll. 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          211 

"  You're  unreasonable,  Carroll,"  insisted  Wade. 
"  It  was  your  own  affair,  not  mine." 

"  It  was  politics,"  said  Carroll,  "  and,  if  you  want 
another  political  partnership,  you've  got  to  pay  half 
the  losses  of  the  old  firm.  I  tell  you,  Wade,  I'm 
making  you  a  bargain  price,  for  you're  buying  a  bit 
of  commercial  paper  and  getting  a  Senatorship  as 
bonus.  The  paper  may  or  may  not  be  good,  but  the 
Senatorship  is." 

The  two  men  smoked  in  silence,  each  mentally  re- 
viewing the  situation  to  see  if  there  was  any  point 
of  weakness  or  strength  that  had  been  overlooked. 
Finally  Wade  announced  abruptly :  "  It's  a  hold-up, 
Carroll,  but  you've  got  the  drop  on  me.  I'll  buy  the 
note," 

It  was  a  considerable  price  to  pay,  but  it  is  worth 
something  to  achieve  one's  ambition,  and  it  seemed 
to  give  Wade  a  certainty.  He  would  surely  draw 
largely  from  Weston  when  the  latter's  weakness 
became  generally  known,  and  there  was  good  reason 
to  believe  that  he  could  make  a  sufficient  showing 
in  caucus  to  bring  every  Republican  member  to  him 
on  the  first  joint  ballot.  Even  Craig  would  not  dare 
hold  back  then,  although  caucus  rule  was  not  im- 
posed by  party  custom. 

But  Craig  had  finally  awakened,  and  Craig  awake 


212  Slaves  of  Success 

was  a  very  different  man  from  Craig  sleeping.  Most 
of  the  members  and  interested  politicians  reached 
Springfield  a  day  or  so  before  the  opening  of  the 
session,  to  look  the  ground  over  and  familiarize 
themselves  with  the  situation.  The  Weston  people 
were  greatly  worried.  The  Central  Club's  action, 
or  rather  refusal  to  act,  had  been  a  hard  blow  to 
them,  and  the  defection  of  Clow  was  almost  as 
serious.  The  loss  of  a  man  once  won  is  infinitely 
worse  than  a  failure  to  win  him  in  the  first  place. 
The  Wade  cohorts  were  as  jubilant  as  the  Weston 
men  were  depressed,  and  Craig  circulated  impartially 
among  both.  He  was  considered  a  Wade  man  by 
most  of  the  members,  but  he  had  little  to  say.  Wade 
himself  was  thinking  of  looking  him  up,  to  see  if 
he  could  reconcile  him  to  the  Carroll  alliance,  when 
Craig  sent  for  him.  That  was  unusual  and  disquiet- 
ing. Craig,  the  modest,  never  before  had  "  sent " 
for  any  one,  but  it  was  no  time  to  stand  on  cere- 
mony, so  Wade  went. 

"  I  been  thinkin'  things  over,"  said  Craig,  slowly, 
"  an'  I  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  was  jest  about 
the  innocentest  guy  that  ever  was  the  day  I  sat  on 
your  steps  in  my  stockin'  feet  an'  was  so  tickled  by 
the  way  you  took  it.  I  thought  you  was  glad  to  see 
Azro  Craig,  jest  plain  Azro  Craig,  but  I  learned  a 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          213 

lot  since  then.  You're  clever,  Jack,  but  you  don't 
give  a  blame  for  anything  but  votes,  present  an'  to 
come,  an'  you're  mean  —  downright  low  an'  mean." 

"Hold  on,  Azro!"  cried  Wade.  "I  won't 
stand  —  " 

"  I  ain't  goin/'  to  hold  on ! "  broke  in  Craig. 
"  I'm  goin'  to  talk  a  lot,  an'  then  it's  your  turn. 
You  think  you  got  things  fixed,  with  all  your  tricks 
an'  treachery,  but  you  ain't  knee-high  to  a  grass- 
hopper in  this  fight.  You're  goin'  to  draw  out." 

"  Are  you  crazy  ?  "  demanded  Wade. 

"  Not  so's  a  court'll  take  notice  of  it,"  replied 
Craig,  "  but  I  think  you  was  when  you  got  to 
fightin'  a  woman  in  a  sneakin'  way,  not  even  bein' 
honest  about  it.  Now,  don't  git  mad,  Jack.  You 
got  lots  o'  time  to  git  mad  later,  an'  I'm  talkin'  of 
things  I  know.  When  you  was  tryin'  to  beat  Mrs. 
Trumbull  on  that  State  University  business,  didn't 
you  come  to  me,  like  a  sneak,  to  try  an'  make  me  fix 
one  o'  the  trustees,  that  was  my  friend,  to  start  the 
fight  ag'in  her?" 

"  I  ought  to  thrash  you ! "  exclaimed  Wade. 

"  Don't  you  never  try  it,  Jack,"  retorted  Craig. 
"  I'm  harder'n  a  keg  o'  nails." 

"  You  seem  determined  to  take  a  perverted  view 
of  everything,"  asserted  Wade,  assuming  the  toler- 


214  Slaves  of  Success 

ant  air  of  one  who  could  afford  to  be  magnanimous 
with  a  misguided  countryman.  "  She  was  making 
a  nuisance  of  herself." 

"  She's  a  woman,"  returned  Craig.  "  Folks  don't 
like  men  that  don't  play  fair  with  women,  an'  she'd 
feel  mighty  put-out  about  it  herself.  So  would  her 
husband.  An'  that  ain't  all,  Jack  Wade.  I  tried  to 
excuse  that,  'cause  I  liked  you,  but  Senator  Abbey's 
been  tellin'  me  things.  Not  knowin'  me  very  well, 
an'  thinkin'  I  was  one  o'  your  certain-sure  men,  he 
spoke  up  kind  o'  free  when  I  asked  him  why  he  was 
workin'  so  hard.  '  Oh,'  says  he,  '  he  saved  a  handy 
man  o'  mine,  Dick  Haggin,  from1  the  penitentiary.' 
That's  all,  Jack.  He  didn't  say  no  more'n  that,  but 
I  was  readin'  how  one  o'  the  judges  sent  that  feller 
to  the  House  o'  Correction  when  he  was  booked  for 
the  penitentiary.  The  papers  criticized  the  judge 
pretty  strong  at  the  time,  you  know.  I  ain't  forgot." 

"  It's  a  lie!  "  declared  Wade.  "  He  didn't  know 
what  he  was  talking  about" 

"  Mebbe  so,"  said  Craig,  "  but  I  reckon  the  Wes- 
ton  folks  would  git  the  rights  of  it,  if  they  had  the 
chance.  I  could  make  a  Bible  oath  to  what  Abbey 
told  me,  an'  the  facts  don't  look  real  nice.  Abbey 
come  out  for  you  strong,  you  see;  then  you  been 
so  close  to  the  judge  in  other  ways  that  folks  has 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          215 

talked  about  it,  an'  the  feller  got  off.  He  was  par- 
doned from  the  House  o'  Correction,  they  say. 
Folks  has  a  way  o'  gettin'  mad  at  men  that  monkey 
with  the  courts.  Mebbe  I  could  tell  jest  enough  to 
show  the  connection  between  the  handy  man  an'  the 
judge.  You  better  draw  out  o'  this  fight,  Jack." 

Wade  forced  a  laugh.  It  had  to  be  forced,  for 
he  knew  his  position  was  perilous.  And  so  was  the 
position  of  his  friend,  the  judge. 

"  I'm  too  old  at  the  game  to  be  frightened  out," 
he  said,  "  and  you're  new  at  it,  Azro." 

"Oh,  all  right,"  returned  Craig.  "Folks  has 
been  wonderin'  how  an  honest  man  like  Duncan  was 
got  on  the  boodle  side  o'  the  railroad  bill,  an'  then 
they  was  surprised  to  see  him  come  out  for  you, 
after  fightin'  you  hard  before.  An'  he  ain't  doin' 
it  a  bit  cheerful,  either.  It  don't  look  right,  Jack. 
I  don't  know  what  hold  you  got  on  him,  but  I  don't 
reckon  you  dare  spring  anything  if  he  breaks  away. 
'Most  everybody  would  know  what  it  meant,  an' 
mebbe,  with  all  these  other  things,  I  could  make  it 
clear  to  them  that  didn't.  When  folks  begin  to  git 
suspicious,  they  git  blame  Auspicious,  an'  they  know 
things  without  havin'  'em  pounded  in.  It  would 
explain  a  whole  lot  if  you  showed  up  any  scandal 
hurtin'  Duncan.  Folks  would  see  behind  it" 


2i6  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Duncan  is  for  me,  because  I  have  convinced 
him  that  I'm  the  best  man,"  asserted  Wade.  "  The 
trouble  with  you,  Azro,  is  that  the  excitement  of 
politics  has  set  the  wheels  in  your  head  to  running 
loose  and  uncontrolled.  You've  got  ghosts  in  your 
attic,  and  you  don't  know  they're  ghosts." 

Wade  was  both  angry  and  disturbed.  This  old 
fellow  had  developed  a  shrewdness  that  might  make 
trouble;  clearly  the  thing  to  do  was  to  discourage 
him  by  making  him  think  he  had  nothing  worth 
while.  But  Craig  had  been  debating  this  matter  too 
long:  he  had  gone  over  the  whole  situation  in  his 
slow,  methodical  way,  and  had  reached  a  definite 
conclusion. 

"  Oh,  all  right,"  he  said.  "  Clow's  a  friend  o' 
mine,  an'  I  know  about  his  case.  He's  been  askin' 
me  how  to  square  things  with  the  folks  at  home,  an' 
I  told  him  to  make  a  clean  breast  o'  the  whole  thing 
an'  vote  for  the  man  his  people  want." 

"I'll  break  him  if  he  does!"  threatened  Wade, 
startled  into  another  display  of  temper.  "  I've  got 
the  papers  to  put  him  out  of  politics,  out  of  —  " 

"  You  ain't  quick  enough,  Jack,"  interrupted 
Craig.  "  The  man  that's  first  to  the  public  with 
his  story  is  the  one  that's  goin'  to  make  the  other 
feller  do  the  explainin'.  I  got  his  story  in  writin'. 


Azro  Craig's  Awakening          217 

It  shows  where  you  come  in,  an'  takes  the  edge  off 
your  papers.  It  shows  how  you  got  'em  an'  how 
you  used  'em.  Folks  don't  like  that  sort  o'  busi- 
ness." Craig  leaned  forward  and  emphasized  his 
remarks  with  a  long,  bony  forefinger.  "  Jack  Wade, 
you're  goin'  to  draw  out  o'  the  race  right  now,  or 
that  story  will  be  in  the  hands  o'  the  Weston  folks 
inside  o'  five  minutes.  Mebbe  I  don't  know  how  to 
use  it  best,  but  you  bet  they  do.  They'll  have  how 
you  tricked  the  woman,  too,  an'  how  you  fixed  the 
judge,  an'  mebbe  they  can  git  at  the  bottom  o'  the 
Duncan  business.  You're  needin'  a  vacation,  an' 
you  better  take  it.  There  couldn't  nobody  trust  you 
in  the  United  States  Senate.  Leastways  I  couldn't, 
an'  I've  learned  how  things  is  done  since  I  took  my 
boots  off  on  your  front  steps  up  in  Chicago." 

Wade  went  from  that  conference  direct  to  the 
depot  in  a  carriage.  It  was  rumoured  that  he  was 
ill.  The  rumour  was  verified  later  from  Chicago. 
He  had  broken  down  under  the  strain  of  many  years 
of  active  politics,  and  would  recuperate  abroad.  Of 
course  his  name  had  to  be  withdrawn  from  consid- 
eration for  the  Senatorship;  it  was  understood  that 
he  was  the  first  to  insist  upon  that,  although  only 
one  or  two  of  his  intimate  friends  saw  him  before 


218  Slaves  of  Success 

he  left  to  regain  his  shattered  health  by  foreign 
travel. 

And  Carroll,  knowing  only  that  Wade  had  re- 
tired from  politics  for  good  and  sufficient  (although 
unrevealed)  reasons,  tempered  his  regret  at  the  loss 
of  an  associate  with  the  reflection,  "  Well,  this  gives 
me  a  chance  to  be  it,  if  I  work  it  right." 


VIII. 
THE   CUPIDITY   OF   CARROLL 


ALLEN  SIDWAY  went  from  his  conference  with 
Ben  Carroll  straight  to  Settlement  House.  His  talk 
with  Carroll  had  not  been  soothing,  and  somehow 
a  visit  to  Settlement  House  always  made  him  feel 
better :  after  the  contamination  of  practical  politics 
it  seemed  to  have  a  purifying  effect.  Perhaps  Hazel 
Hoyne  had  something  to  do  with  this.  She  was  so 
quietly  delightful  that  her  very  presence  in  a  room 
brought  peace  and  tranquillity  to  his  troubled  mind. 
And  just  now  his  mind  was  sorely  troubled  and  his 
temper  sorely  ruffled.  Since  the  downfall  and  de- 
parture of  John  Wade,  Carroll  practically  controlled 
the  local  Republican  "  machine,"  in  which  Sidway 
was  a  cog. 

Carroll  never  fully  understood  just  what  happened 
to  Wade,  but  the  fact  that  Wade,  the  astute,  had  met 

219 


22O  Slaves  of  Success 

his  Waterloo  in  some  mysterious  way,  just  when  vic- 
tory seemed  to  be  within  his  reach,  was  sufficient  to 
make  Carroll  cautious  and  diplomatic.  He  had  been 
rather  blustering  and  rough  in  his  methods  while 
Wade  was  on  hand  to  do  the  clever  and  tactful  work ; 
now  he  endeavoured  to  be  prudent  and  cunning  him- 
self, to  develop  some  of  the  qualities  that  Wade  had 
supplied  to  the  combination  previously.  He  was 
not  entirely  successful,  frequently  reverting  to  his 
former  brusque  and  domineering  ways ;  but,  feeling 
the  additional  responsibility,  he  was  gradually  ac- 
quiring a  "  smoothness  "  that  helped  him  materially. 
This  had  enabled  him  to  secure  and  hold  Allen 
Sidway,  with  whom  he  had  absolutely  nothing  in 
common,  outside  of  politics,  and  who  could  not  have 
been  held  a  minute  by  the  methods  Carroll  had  been 
accustomed  to  use  in  the  slum  wards.  Still,  Carroll 
never  could  be  a  Wade,  no  matter  how  hard  he 
tried,  for  he  was  actuated  by  different  and  "coarser" 
motives,  and  he  frequently  let  impulse  change  his 
plan  of  action. 

In  the  conference  with  Sidway,  just  ended,  he  had 
endeavoured  to  be  conciliatory,  and  had  succeeded 
in  holding  himself  in  check  when  a  plan  in  which  he 
had  a  deep  personal  interest  had  been  violently  op^ 
posed.  He  had  opened  the  interview  by  asking  if 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          221 

Sidway  had  any  one  to  propose  for  the  Congres- 
sional nomination  in  the  Twelfth  District. 

"  I  think  Taylor  would  be  a  good  man,"  Sidway 
had  replied. 

"  Are  you  pledged  to  him  ?  "  Carroll  had  asked. 
"  Have  you  any  personal  interest  in  his  candidacy?  " 

"  Not  at  all.  I  am  only  interested  in  having  a 
good  man  nominated." 

"  How  would  David  C.  Radburn  do?  " 

The  trouble  had  commenced  right  there.  Rad- 
burn was  a  wealthy  manufacturer,  but  there  were 
many  rumours  afloat  that  did  him  no  credit.  He 
had  been  mixed  up  in  some  commercial  scandals; 
he  had  profited  by  evasions,  if  not  violations,  of 
the  Inter-State  Commerce  law;  he  had  secured 
favours  from  local  officials  that  made  people  talk; 
he  occupied  part  of  a  street  that  belonged  to  the 
public,  for  which  he  paid  no  rental  —  in  short,  he 
gained,  and  held,  advantages  over  many  of  his 
competitors  that  could  not  be  gained  and  held  by 
straightforward  means.  And  it  was  charged,  al- 
though never  proved,  that  he  was  a  persistent  vio- 
lator of  the  child-labour  laws. 

All  this  Sidway  had  pointed  out.  The  man  was 
one  who  had  the  suspicion,  rather  than  the  confi- 
dence, of  the  public  —  at  least  of  so  much  of  the 


222  Slaves  of  Success 

public  as  had  stopped  to  give  him  any  consideration 
whatever.  He  was  not  one  to  whom  it  would  be 
safe  to  entrust  any  part  of  the  law-making  power. 
Carroll  had  admitted  that  he  was  not  a  man  to  put 
up  in  a  close  district,  but  he  had  insisted  that  it 
would  be  perfectly  safe  in  the  Twelfth,  which  was 
overwhelmingly  Republican.  So  Sidway  had  left, 
disgruntled,  and  had  straightway  discovered  busi- 
ness that  took  "him  to  the  vicinity  of  Settlement 
House.  This  was  not  his  district,  but  it  was  a 
noteworthy  fact  that  he  was  always  so  ready  to  do 
a  little  work  there  that  he  had  come  to  know  it 
almost  as  well  as  the  resident  leaders  and  lieutenants. 
And,  if  he  had  occasion  to  rest,  it  was  at  a  time 
when  Hazel  Hoyne  was  most  likely  to  have  leisure, 
and  the  resting  was  done  at  Settlement  House. 

"  I've  come  for  encouragement,"  he  told  her. 

"  Do  you  need  it?  "  she  asked. 

"  Always,"  he  replied,  "  and,  if  I  had  my  way, 
I  wouldn't  have  to  come  so  far  for  it." 

"  Please  don't,"  she  said. 

"  Don't  come  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No ;  don't  talk  that  way." 

Sidway  was  an  unusual,  as  well  as  a  persistent, 
suitor.  He  had  proposed  twice,  and  had  been  gently 
refused  both  times ;  but,  instead  of  forsaking  Settle- 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          223 

ment  House,  he  had  continued  to  call  as  before. 
It  was  not  lack  of  pride  that  induced  him  to  do  this, 
but  rather  a  perfect  understanding  of  Hazel  Hoyne. 
She  liked  him,  —  perhaps  she  loved  him,  —  but  she 
was  devoted  to  her  work  among  the  poor.  She 
was  doing  good  and  she  knew  it.  A  quiet,  modest, 
tender-hearted,  womanly  woman,  she  had  great  in- 
fluence with  the  people  of  that  slum  neighbourhood. 
She  had  come  there  from  choice  five  years  before, 
after  being  an  occasional  visitor  for  some  time,  and 
her  enthusiasm  had  increased  with  her  increasing 
success  in  this  field  of  humanitarian  work.  It  held 
her  as  the  pen  or  the  brush  may  hold  a  genius  in 
other  lines;  she  had  the  same  joy  in  achievement; 
she  was  making,  or  helping  to  make,  real  men  and 
women  out  of  very  unpromising  material.  So  she 
had  refused  to  leave  with  Sidway,  and  he  under- 
stood —  understood,  but  never  despaired.  She  en- 
couraged his  friendship,  but  retreated  the  moment 
he  advanced  a  step  beyond  that.  So  he  waited 
patiently. 

"  Some  day,"  he  insisted. 

"  Please  don't,"  she  repeated,  almost  pleadingly. 
"  Tell  me  about  yourself.  What  has  disturbed 
you?" 


224  Slaves  of  Success 

"  They're  going  to  nominate  Radburn  in  the 
Twelfth,"  he  replied,  scowling. 

"  David  Radburn  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  Yes." 

"  Oh,  Allen,  you  must  prevent  that ! "  she  ex- 
claimed. "  Why,  he's  a  lawbreaker  himself.  We 
all  know  that  over  here,  where  his  factory  is." 

"  But  they  don't  know  it  over  there,  where  he 
lives,"  he  returned.  "  They've  heard  rumours  of 
it,  but  they  don't  know  it,  and  he's  a  prosperous 
man." 

"  Surely  he  won't  be  elected,  even  if  nominated," 
she  urged.  "  He  isn't  really  popular,  even  there." 

"  Now,  Hazel,  you  know  better  than  that,"  he 
said,  reprovingly.  "  He  isn't  popular,  of  course, 
and  in  a  general  way  a  good  deal  is  known  that  is 
to  his  discredit,  but  nothing  has  been  proved.  Fur- 
thermore, his  offences,  in  many  instances,  are  the 
offences  of  others,  and  the  public  has  learned  to  re- 
gard them  lightly,  when  it  takes  time  to  think  of 
them  at  all.  To  cheat  an  individual  is  a  much  more 
serious  matter  than  to  cheat  the  community  or  the 
government.  Besides  that,  the  district  is  almost 
three  to  one  Republican,  and  you  know  how  it  is 
when  a  ward  or  a  district  is  heavily  one  way  or  the 
other." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          225 

"  Yes,"  she  admitted,  "  I  do." 

"  Over  here  it's  all  Democratic,"  he  went  on. 
"  If  the  worst  Democrat  in  this  ward  should  get 
the  aldermanic  nomination,  he  would  be  elected, 
wouldn't  he?  " 

"  I'm  afraid  he  would." 

"  Well,  the  situation  is  just  reversed  over  there. 
Radburn  can't  poll  his  full  party  vote  by  a  good 
deal,  but,  if  he's  nominated,  I  don't  see  how  he  can 
fail  to  be  elected." 

"  Then  he  mustn't  be  nominated,"  she  insisted. 

"Unfortunately,"  he  laughed,  "Ben  Carroll 
thinks  he  must,  and  Ben  Carrol!  happens  to  be  the 
engineer  of  the  '  machine.'  I  have  been,  and  am, 
opposed  to  Radburn,  but  I  am  only  a  very  insignifi- 
cant cog  in  the  '  machine,'  and  I  don't  see  how  the 
nomination  is  to  be  prevented.  As  I  have  no  favours 
to  ask  myself,  I  can  afford  to  fight  him,  but  Ben 
will  control." 

"  It  will  be  a  crime!  "  she  cried,  hotly. 

"  Oh,  not  so  bad  as  that,"  he  returned.  "  Such 
a  man  ought  never  to  go  to  Congress,  for  whatever 
influence  he  has  will  §be  exerted  to  no  good  purpose 
in  some  directions,  but  I  wouldn't  call  it  quite  a 
crime," 


226  Slaves  of  Success 

In  her  excitement  she  rose,  took  him  by  the  hand, 
and  led  him  to  another  room. 

"  Let  me  show  you  what  he  is  doing,"  she  said. 

In  the  room  there  were  a  number  of  little  chil- 
dren engaged  in  kindergarten  games.  One  was 
apparently  older  than  the  others,  but  of  stunted 
growth,  emaciated  figure,  and  weary,  listless  eyes. 
She'seemed  to  be  mentally  deficient,  also,  and  it  was 
really  pitiful  to  see  how  hard  she  tried,  and  how 
often  she  failed,  to  do  her  little  part  in  the  exercises. 
The  young  woman  in  charge  coached  her  kindly,  and 
the  child  smiled  up  at  her  gratefully,  but  still  wear- 
ily, and  there  was  no  light  of  interest  or  under- 
standing in  her  eyes. 

"  She  fully  comprehends  only  one  thing,"  ex- 
plained Miss  Hoyne. 

"  What  is  that?  "  asked  Sidway. 

For  answer  Miss  Hoyne  called  the  child  to  her. 

"  What  can  you  do?  "  she  asked. 

Instantly  the  child's  eyes  brightened,  not  with 
pleasure  or  anything  allied  to  it,  but  with  compre- 
hension. At  last  they  had  come  to  something  that 
she  knew. 

"  Sort  buttons  an'  pack  'em,"  she  said. 

"Good  God!"  exclaimed  Sidway.  "She  isn't 
old  enough.  It's  violation  of  the  law." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          227 

"  Of  course  she  isn't,"  returned  Miss  Hoyne, 
with  the  emphasis  of  angry  indignation,  "  but  the 
necessary  age  certificate  is  on  file." 

"Where?"  he  demanded. 

"  Where  do  you  work  ?  "  she  asked,  turning  to 
the  girl. 

"  Radburn's,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 

The  child  slipped  back  to  her  place,  and  the  two 
returned  to  the  reception-room  without  a  word. 
Then  the  indignation  of  the  quiet  settlement  worker 
burst  forth. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Allen  Sidway,"  she  said,  "  you  have 
seen  one  of  the  products  of  David  Radburn's  fac- 
tory. It  has  taken  him  just  about  two  years  to  make 
that  of  a  child,  neither  bright  nor  strong,  but  of  fair 
promise.  He  has  dwarfed  her  body  and  dwarfed 
her  mind.  Day  after  day  she  has  stood  at  one  table 
and  done  one  thing  until  she  knows  nothing  else. 
Day  after  day  mind  and  body  have  narrowed  and 
shrunk  when  they  should  have  been  growing,  ex- 
panding. He  has  almost  destroyed  a  human  being 
—  one  of  God's  creatures.  He  is  worse  than  a 
murderer!  He  would  make  idiots,  if  he  didn't  kill, 
and  it's  a  merciful  Providence  that  releases  the  soul 
from  the  body  of  many  a  child  who  is  used  to  make 
wealth  for  such  as  he.  He  is  a  cruel,  heartless 


228  Slaves  of  Success 

monster!  He  puts  a  strain  upon  the  child  that  no 
child  can  stand !  He  injures  where  he  does  not  kill ! 
He  helps  to  make  weak  or  evil  citizenship,  and  he 
does  make  anarchists.  He  is  an  enemy  to  the  human 
race,  and  so  are  all  like  him !  " 

Sidway  tried  to  speak,  but  she  stopped  him  with 
a  gesture. 

"  I  tell  you,  I  know !  "  she  went  on.  "  I  see  the 
results!  I  see  the  heartlessness,  the  cold-blooded 
cruelty!  To  you  this  is  an  isolated  case,  and  I'll 
admit  that  it  is  exceptionally  sad,  for  few  succumb 
so  soon,  but  there  are  others  —  lots  of  them.  The 
work  is  going  on  every  day,  —  this  work  of  human 
destruction,  —  and  it  makes  me  burn  with  indig- 
nation that  any  one  should  even  think  of  honouring 
such  a  man !  What  a  mockery  to  ask  him  to  make 
laws!  Why  not  put  a  burglar  on  the  bench!  Or 
a  defaulter  in  the  treasury !  " 

"  You  are  excited,"  he  urged,  although  his  own 
blood  was  hot  with  indignation. 

"  I  am,"  she  replied,  more  calmly,  "  and  you 
would  be,  too,  if  you  were  here  day  after  day,  as 
I  am,  and  then  heard  this.  We  are  trying  to  bring 
that  little  girl  that  he  almost  destroyed  back  to  real 
life,  but  do  you  think  we  get  any  help  from  him? 
We  went  to  him  and  explained  the  situation;  we 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          229 

told  him  she  was  there  because  the  money  was 
needed;  we  asked  him  if  he  would  carry  her  on 
the  pay-roll  for  a  short  time  while  we  endeavoured 
to  build  up  her  little  body  —  we  didn't  know  about 
her  mind  then;  and  what  do  you  think  he  an- 
swered? He  couldn't  afford  to  establish  such  a 
precedent.  So  we  workers  are  paying  the  little 
pittance  she  earned,  while  we  are  trying  to  reclaim 
her  physically  and  mentally.  He  has  done  this  for 
his  own  profit ;  we  are  paying  for  the  privilege  of 
undoing  it.  And  that's  the  kind  of  a  man,  Mr. 
Allen  Sidway,  that  your  great  Republican  party 
talks  of  running  for  Congress.  I  tell  you,  if  tjiis 
outrage  is  committed,  —  if  you,  knowing  the  facts, 
can't  stop  it,  —  I'll  think  there  is  no  manhood  left 
in  this  country." 

n. 

Allen  Sidway  went  from  Hazel  Hoyne  straight 
back  to  Ben  Carroll.  He  expected  to  gain  nothing, 
but  the  least  he  could  do  was  to  try.  What  he  had 
seen  and  heard  was  enough  to  make  any  man  try, 
and  he  would  try  all  the  harder  because  of  Hazel 
Hoyne's  influence.  It  had  been  his  original  inten- 
tion to  oppose  Radburn  in  a  perfunctory,  formal 
sort  of  way,  for  the  reason  that  he  believed  more 


230  Slaves  of  Success 

strenuous  efforts  would  be  a  waste  of  time  and 
labour ;  but  now  he  was  determined  to  make  a  real 
fight. 

"  One  of  the  products  of  David  Radburn's  fac- 
tory !  "  he  repeated  to  himself,  and  he  clenched  his 
fists  angrily  as  he  recalled  the  scene  at  Settlement 
House.  It  was  enough  to  make  any  man  fight !  He 
would  be  the  champion  of  the  child  and  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  woman.  He  would  do  this  for 
either,  whatever  the  cost  to  him  might  be.  It  was 
an  outrage  that  such  a  man  should  be  even  men- 
tioned for  public  office;  also,  in  his  individual 
opinion,  it  was  an  outrage  that  any  man  whom 
Hazel  Hoyne  so  despised  should  secure  preferment 
of  ?ny  kind. 

Fortunately,  Sidway  was  in  a  position  to  be  abso- 
lutely independent.  He  was  a  young  man  in  politics, 
—  a  young  man  of  independent  means,  who  could 
afford  the  time  and  liked  the  excitement,  —  and  he 
had  no  clearly  defined  political  aspirations.  Perhaps 
it  had  occurred  to  him  that  some  day  his  party  might 
see  fit  to  honour  him,  but  he  was  seeking  nothing, 
and  by  opposing  Carroll  he  could  lose  nothing  ex- 
cept a  little  political  power  and  prestige.  But  Sid- 
way  was  practical  as  well  as  honest.  He  knew  that 
politics  was  far  from  what  it  should  be,  and  his 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          231 

influence  was  always  for  betterment,  but  he  had  no 
wild  dream  of  heavenly  conditions.  He  took  things 
as  they  were  and  made  the  best  of  them.  Further- 
more, he  had  the  wisdom  and  experience  that  makes 
a  man  diplomatic,  so  he  approached  Carroll  cau- 
tiously. He  was  determined,  but  there  was  no  need 
of  a  declaration  of  war  until  other  means  had  failed. 
Carroll  was  powerful.  There  was  practically  no 
chance  of  defeating  him  in  a  fight,  and  very  little 
chance  of  winning  him  in  an  argument,  but  it  was 
better  to  try  the  argument  first.  So,  concealing  his 
real  feelings,  he  began  the  interview  in  a  conciliatory 
spirit. 

"  Carroll,"  he  said,  "  can't  we  settle  on  some  other 
man  for  the  Twelfth?" 

"  Quite  out  of  the  question,"  returned  Carroll. 
"Why  should  we?" 

"  As  a  matter  of  party  policy,  for  one  thing,"  ex- 
plained Sidway.  "  Radburn  is  going  to  hurt  us. 
He  is  far  from  popular,  and  there  are  scandals  that 
will  be  raked  up  to  make  trouble." 

"  Oh,  that's  all  talk,"  asserted  Carroll.  "  There 
are  mean  things  said  about  every  successful  man, 
and,  if  he  happens  to  get  into  politics,  the  lies  are 
elaborated.  Radburn  is  all  right.  There  isn't  a 
thing  that  can  be  proved  against  him." 


232  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Perhaps  not,"  admitted  Sidway,  "  but  you  and 
I  know  that  some  of  these  charges  are  true,  and  it's 
foolish  to  think  that  we  are  the  only  wise  people 
in  the  district.  Whether  there  is  proof  or  not, 
Radburn  is  pretty  well  known  for  what  he  is.  It 
hurts  to  put  up  such  a  candidate,  even  if  the  district 
is  so  strongly  Republican  that  he  can  be  elected  in 
spite  of  opposition  in  his  own  party.  Why  not 
try  a  good  clean  man  like  Malcolm  Taylor  ?  " 

"  Why  are  you  so  set  on  Malcolm  Taylor  ? " 
asked  Carroll. 

"  I'm  not,"  answered  Sidway.  "  Any  other  will 
suit  me  —  any  one  except  Radburn.  Why,  Carroll, 
that  man  is  wrecking  childhood !  " 

Carroll,  accustomed  to  override  opposition,  was 
beginning  to  be  annoyed. 

"Nonsense!"  he  retorted.  "I've  heard  those 
stories,  but  they  don't  amount  to  anything;  there's 
no  proof.  I  tell  you,  Sidway,  he's  going  to  be 
nominated  and  elected.  It's  all  settled." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  said  Sidway,  with  just  a  trace 
of  menace  in  his  tone.  He  knew  that  Carroll  had 
reason  for  his  confidence,  but  it  annoyed  him  that 
the  man  should  be  so  supremely  indifferent  to  the 
views  of  others. 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          233 

"  I  suppose  you'll  oppose  him,"  laughed  Carroll, 
harshly. 

"  I  certainly  shall." 

"  Well,"  said  Carroll,  still  keeping  Wade  in  mind, 
"  after  our  previous  interview,  I  rather  expected 
you  would,  but  it's  of  no  importance.  We  can 
nominate  him  without  your  support." 

Here  was  further  evidence  of  Carroll's  confidence. 
If  not  sure  of  his  ground,  he  probably  would  try  in 
some  way  to  induce  or  compel  Sidway  to  act  with 
the  "  machine." 

"  I've  just  seen  one  of  his  victims,  Carroll,"  ex- 
claimed Sidway,  his  temper  rising,  "  and  if  the 
voters  of  the  Twelfth  Dictrict  saw  her,  you  couldn't 
elect  Radburn  assistant  keeper  of  the  dog  pound! 
Putting  all  his  other  evasions  of  the  law  aside,  this 
is  enough  to  condemn  the  man,  and  it  does!  I  tell 
you  I've  just  come  from  a  child-wreck  that  he  made, 
and  it's  a  damnable  outrage  to  talk  of  sending  such 
a  man  to  Congress !  " 

"  Now,  Sidway,"  urged  Carroll,  restraining  him- 
self with  an  effort,  "  it  is  no  use  to  talk  like  that. 
We'd  like  to  have  you  with  us,  but  we  don't  need 
you,  so  we're  not  going  to  make  any  fuss  if  you 
balk.  If  you  can't  stand  Radburn,  just  creep  into 
your  tent  and  keep  quiet,  and  we'll  say  no  more 


234  Slaves  of  Success 

about  it.  When  you  come  out  after  the  election 
we'll  be  glad  to  see  you." 

"  But  I'm  not  going  to  creep  into  my  tent,"  re- 
turned Sidway,  angrily ;  "  I'm  going  to  fight !  " 

"  Suit  yourself,"  said  Carroll. 

"  I'm  going  to  fight  before  the  convention,  in  the 
convention,  and  after  the  convention !  " 

"Do  you  mean  that  you'll  bolt  the  nominee?" 
asked  Carroll. 

"  If  it  happens  to  be  Radburn,  I  will !  I'll  bolt 
and  I'll  fight  right  up  to  the  minute  the  polls  close 
election  day!  And  I  won't  be  alone,  either!  " 

"  Is  this  a  declaration  of  war?  "  demanded  Car- 
roily 

"  Only  if  you  make  it  so.  What's  your  interest 
in  this  man  Radburn,  anyway?  " 

"  I'm  thinking  only  of  the  party." 

"That's  a  lie,  Carroll!" 

Carroll  flushed  angrily :  this  was  more  than  even 
a  tactful  politician  could  be  expected  to  stand. 

"  There  is  something  back  of  it,"  Sidway  went 
on.  "  I  won't  say  that  you're  bought,  but  there's 
some  advantage  for  you  in  this  matter.  You  know 
that  Taylor  would  be  a  better  and  more  acceptable 
man;  you  know  that  many  of  the  delegates  will 
vote  for  Radburn  under  protest;  you  know  that  he 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          235 

is  not  popular  in  the  district;  you  know  that  he 
ought  not  to  go  to  Congress;  you  know  that  his 
nomination  will  hurt  the  party;  and  yet  you  insist. 
What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll?  Why  is  he  the  only 
Republican  in  the  whole  district  that  you  can  see? 
Why  are  you  forcing  him?  What's  the  secret, 
Carroll?" 

"  You  damn  fool !  "  exclaimed  Carroll,  finally  ex- 
ploding, "  you  talk  like  a  crazy  man !  " 

"  No,  I  don't,"  retorted  Sidway.  "  I  talk  sense, 
and  I  am  only  asking  questions  now  that  others  will 
ask  later.  Of  course  you  won't  answer  them,  Car- 
roll, but  they'll  be  asked  by  the  voters  and  they'll 
be  asked  by  the  papers  —  just  make  up  your  mind 
to  that.  Whatever  you  get  out  of  this  business  is 
going  to  be  dearly  bought." 

"  What  you  get  out  of  this  business,"  cried  Car- 
roll, "  will  be  a  political  grave.  I'll  put  you  in  it 
myself." 

Both  men  had  risen  and  were  facing  each  other 
angrily. 

"  But  before  you  do  it,  Carroll,"  retorted  Sidway, 
"  I'll  ask  you  those  questions  myself  —  not  here,  but 
on  the  stump.  If  you  force  Radburn  on  the  con- 
vention I'll  make  that  a  campaign  cry.  '  What  is 
there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  '  will  follow  you  up  to  and  after 


236  Slaves  of  Success 

election !  It's  as  catching  a  phrase  as  the  '  Where 
did  you  get  it  ? '  that  followed  Croker.  Do  you 
remember  that,  Carroll  ?  Did  you  ever  stop  to  think 
how  Croker  must  have  hated  it  —  how  he  must  have 
tried  to  run  from  it,  to  hide  from  it,  to  escape  it  in 
any  way,  —  how  it  must  have  stared  up  at  him  day 
after  day?  Why,  Carroll,  when  the  story  of  your 
strange  and  anxious  interest  in  this  matter  becomes 
public,  that  question  will  be  set  to  music  and  the 
boys  will  whistle  it !  " 

"  Get  out  of  here!  "  shouted  Carroll,  shaking  his 
fist  in  the  younger  man's  face.  "  You  can't  talk 
to  me  that  way  in  my  own  office!  " 

"  But  I  can  on  the  stump,  Carroll ! "  retorted 
Sidway,  as  he  stopped  in  the  doorway,  "  and  I  will ! 
I'll  show  your  man  up  from  one  end  of  the  district 
to  the  other!  If  it  takes  proof  to  beat  him,  I'll  get 
proof !  It's  to  be  had,  Carroll !  No  man  ever  system- 
atically violated  and  evaded  the  law  without  leav- 
ing proof  somewhere,  and  I'll  find  it.  But  I  won't 
forget  you,  Carroll !  You  are  the  responsible  party, 
and  every  man,  woman,  and  child  shall  know  it; 
and  they'll  ask  questions  —  the  question,  '  What  is 
there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  What  is  there  in  it  ?  '  " 

For  some  time  after  Sidway  had  left  Carroll  sat 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          237 

absorbed  in  thought.  He  was  the  political  king :  he 
could  rule  so  long  as  he  made  no  fatal  blunder. 
Had  he  made  one?  Had  his  cupidity  lured  him  to 
an  act  of  political  self-destruction?  Carroll  rea- 
soned now,  where  formerly  he  had  merely  acted. 
Having  no  Wade  to  look  into  the  future  for  him, 
he  tried  to  do  it  for  himself.  The  lure  of  gold  had 
led  him  into  many  a  serious  predicament;  his 
"  financial  friends "  had  almost  wrecked  him  on 
other  occasions.  How  would  it  be  this  time? 

"  What  is  there  in  it?  "  he  repeated,  and  scowled. 
It  was  a  disagreeable  phrase  to  get  in  general  circu- 
lation, and  it  might  make  considerable  trouble.  "  I 
wonder  what  started  this  hare-brained  lunatic,  any- 
way," he  muttered.  "  He  can't  beat  Radburn,  of 
course,  but  he  may  hurt  me.  I  wonder  if  there's 
any  way  of  stopping  him.  I'd  hate  to  be  haunted 
by  a  question  —  as  Croker  was." 

Then  he  sent  for  Radburn,  and  meanwhile  tried 
to  forget ;  but  all  the  rest  of  the  day,  "  What  is 
there  in  it,  Carroll  ? "  kept  flashing  through  his 
mind,  and  sometimes  it  seemed  almost  as  if  others 
were  framing  the  question.  Two  days  later  he  saw 
it  in  the  head-lines  of  a  newspaper.  Sidway  had 
made  no  idle  threat. 


238  Slaves  of  Success 

in. 

Malcolm  Taylor  was  a  receptive  candidate; 
Sidway  wanted  him  to  become  an  aggressive  one. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  Sidway  had  developed  an 
amount  of  energy  and  aggressiveness  that  surprised 
himself.  He  was  so  practical  a  man  that  he  did  not 
ordinarily  take  much  interest  in  a  losing  fight,  such 
as  this  was  practically  certain  to  be,  but  he  was  going 
into  it  heart  and  soul,  nevertheless.  It  could  not 
be  denied  that  he  had  been  deeply  stirred  by  the 
child,  but  that  was  hardly  sufficient  to  make  him 
tilt  at  a  windmill.  For  whom,  then,  would  he  wage 
a  hopeless  battle  ? 

"  Heavens !  how  her  eyes  flashed !  "  he  com- 
mented, and  the  question  was  answered.  The  child's 
eyes  were  not  the  ones  that  had  flashed. 

So  he  went  about  his  task  with  enthusiasm  and 
dogged  determination.  It  was  the  enthusiasm  of 
battle,  rather  than  of  prospective  victory,  but  it 
was  enthusiasm,  just  the  same,  and  reasonably 
effective. 

"  Go  into  the  fight,  and  go  in  hard ! "  he  advised 
Taylor.  "  You  can't  get  this  nomination  without 
work/' 

"  But  can  I  get  it  with  work  ?  "  asked  Taylor. 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          239 

"  Probably  not,"  admitted  Sidway,  "  but  there's 
a  chance.  Fight  for  it.  I'll  be  with  you,  and  there 
are  others  who  will  rally  to  a  good  fighter !  If  you 
hold  back,  you  can't  expect  them  to  do  anything. 
You  must  show  that  you  have  a  chance.  It's  worth 
something  just  to  put  up  a  hard  fight !  " 

Taylor  gave  the  subject  thoughtful  consideration. 
He  would  like  to  go  to  Congress,  of  course,  and  at 
one  time  the  outlook  had  been  favourable,  but  Car- 
roll had  lured  away  most  of  his  support  Men  who 
had  talked  to  him  encouragingly  at  first  had  later 
decided  that  they  would  have  to  support  the  "  ma- 
chine "  man.  Carroll  was  powerful  and  deter- 
mined; he  controlled  the  party  machinery;  he  had 
ways  of  "  reaching  "  the  politicians ;  he  would  be 
supreme  at  the  primaries  and  supreme  in  the  con- 
vention. Furthermore,  it  was  too  late  to  start  a 
successful  campaign. 

"  In  a  word,"  Taylor  concluded,  "  you  and  I 
can't  beat  the  '  machine.' ' 

"  But  another  '  machine '  may  be  able  to  do  it," 
persisted  Sidway.  "  We'll  have  a  little  '  machine  ' 
of  our  own.  I'll  build  it,  and  get  it  running.  You 
don't  know  yet  what  your  support  will  be,  if  you 
come  out  as  an  avowed  candidate.  Declare  your- 
self, Taylor  —  and  fight!  Radburn  is  vulnerable 


240  Slaves  of  Success  - 

—  let's  get  after  him' !  Many  of  the  men  that  Car- 
roll has  secured  are  really  favourable  to  you,  and 
we  may  get  them  back.  Go  into  this  as  a  matter 
of  principle,  even  if  you  don't  win!  I'll  manage 
your  campaign!  I'll  give  you  every  minute  of  my 
time,  and  I'll  have  the  little  '  machine '  running  in 
twenty-four  hours!  Get  your  friends  together  to- 
morrow, and  I'll  talk  to  them;  I'll  give  them  the 
points  of  attack;  I'll  show  them  the  weak  spots; 
I'll  furnish  them  with  the  shafts  that  will  hurt. 
Why,  I  can  give  you  the  key-note  of  the  campaign 
,4iow.  Radburn  is  unpopular;  he  is  a  weak  man 
politically ;  disagreeable  things  are  said  of  his  meth- 
ods; charges  have  been  made  against  him;  he  is 
being  forced  on  the  district  by  Carroll !  Bring  out 
all  that,  and  then  ask,  '  What  is  there  in  it,  Car- 
roll ?  '  Harp  on  that  question,  Taylor.  Have  every 
man  who  speaks  for  you  harp  on  it,  —  and,  even 
if  you  don't  win,  you'll  give  Carroll  and  Radburn 
the  hottest  time  of  their  lives." 

Taylor  was  silent  for  a  moment.  Then  he  grasped 
Sidway's  hand  impulsively  and  exclaimed :  "  I'll 
do  it!  I  don't  expect  to  win,  but  I'll  make  the 
fight!" 

"  Good !  "  cried  Sidway.  "  Don't  lose  a  minute 
in  getting  to  work,  either!  Get  Dan  Collins  to 


*  The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          241 

help!  He's  a  strong  man,  and  your  friend.  I'm 
going  to  see  wjhat  I  can  do  with  some  of  the  others." 

If  Sidway  had  been  less  determined,  he  would 
have  been  discouraged  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  the 
little  "  machine."  The  story  of  the  child  was  told, 
but  it  produced  little  effect.  It  was  not  an  uncom- 
mon thing  for  factory  children  to  be  in  poor  health, 
and  there  was  no  evidence  that  Radburn  knew  per- 
sonally of  any  violation  of  the  law;  in  fact,  there 
was  no  conclusive  evidence  that  the  law  had  been 
violated,  for  the  child  had  her  age  certificate.  As 
for  the  other  charges,  they  amounted  to  very  little 
in  the  opinion  of  the  men  approached.  Such  eva- 
sions or  violations  of  the  law  were  not  unusual ;  they 
had  come  to  be  regarded  lightly.  Others  gained 
trade  advantages  in  the  same  way.  It  might  be 
that  Radburn  was  a  little  bolder  and  more  unprin- 
cipled in  his  methods  of  securing  improper  favours 
from  the  municipal  and  other  officials,  but  that  w*as 
all ;  and,  if  the  railroads  discriminated  unjustly  and 
unlawfully  for  his  benefit,  why,  that  was  their  busi- 
ness. 

"  Nothing  has  been  proved,"  said  Neil  Harmon, 
"  and  you'd  better  let  Carroll  alone  in  this  matter. 
He  knows  what  he's  doing,  and  he  wants  Radburn. 
He's  a  good  enough  man  for  me,  too." 


242  Slaves  of  Success 

Others  took  much  the  same  view  of  the  situa- 
tion. A  few  admitted  that  Taylor  would  be  a 
stronger  candidate,  but  they  were  playing  the  game 
of  politics,  and  they  did  not  care  to  be  identified 
with  a  hopeless  cause  to  their  ultimate  disadvantage. 
If  Taylor  had  a  real  chance,  it  might  be  different, 
but  he  had  no  chance  at  all.  If  they  could  beat 
Carroll,  they  could  dictate  terms,  and  would  gain 
rather  than  lose;  if  they  could  not  beat  him,  they 
preferred  to  be  with  him.  He  was  not  a  man  to 
be  needlessly  antagonized.  Even  this  slight  encour- 
agement was  lacking  in  most  cases,  for  the  politi- 
cians had  their  own  interests  to  watch,  and  were 
quite  satisfied  with  Carroll's  selection.  Only  a  few 
admitted  that  any  possible  combination  of  circum- 
stances would  lead  them  to  swing  to  Taylor. 

"  No  progress,"  Sidway  told  himself,  "  and  I 
must  accomplish  something,  or  all  the  fire  will  go 
out  of  the  campaign.  If  I  can  show  only  a  trifling 
gain,  it  will  help." 

In  this  spirit  he  sought  Larry  McHugh,  the  last 
man  on  his  list.  McHugh's  alliance  with  Carroll 
was  one  of  convenience  only,  and  there  were  ru- 
mours that  the  Radburn  candidacy  did  not  entirely 
suit  him;  but  McHugh  did  not  see  why  he  should 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          243 

make  trouble  for  himself  when  nothing  was  to  be 
gained  by  it. 

"  Carroll's  got  the  goods  all  nailed  up,  addressed, 
and  ready  for  delivery,"  he  said.  "  You  can't  stop 
him',  so  what's  the  use  of  trying?  The  nomination 
is  '  cinched/  and  that  means  the  election.  You 
couldn't  beat  the  devil  himself  in  that  district,  if 
he  got  his  name  on  the  Republican  ticket." 

"  But  these  stories !  "  urged  Sidway. 

"  You  can't  prove  them,"  returned  McHugh, 
"  and  I  don't  think  there's  much  in  them  any- 
way." 

There  seemed  to  be  no  chance  of  an  immediate 
conversion,  so  Sidway  resolved  to  spar  for  time. 

"  You'll  control  some  delegates  in  that  conven- 
tion, McHugh,"  he  suggested. 

"  Well,  rather,  but  not  enough  to  swing  it." 

"  Are  they  pledged  ?  " 

"  Not  yet,  but  they  will  be  before  the  primaries." 

"  Can't  you  keep  them  unpledged  ?  " 

"  I  can/'  admitted  McHugh,  "  but  why  should 
I?  It  will  make  trouble  with  Carroll  right  at  the 
start,  and  what's  the  use  ?  " 

"  Because,"  replied  Sidway,  "  I  want  a  chance 
to  show  you  that  Radburn  can  be  beaten.  I  won't 
ask  you  to  oppose  him  until  I  can  do  that;  but 


244  Slaves  of  Success 

leave  the  way  open,  McHugh,  —  give  me  a  little 
time!  Won't  you  do  something  for  principle?  " 

"  Sure,"  answered  McHugh,  "  but  the  principle's 
got  to  be  worth  while.  I'm  not  afraid  to  fight, 
Sidway,  but  there's  got  to  be  something  worth 
fighting  for,  and  some  chance  of  success." 

Sidway  looked  at  his  watch. 

"  Give  me  an  hour  of  your  time,"  he  said.  "  I 
want  to  show  you  something." 

Half  an  hour  later  they  sat  in  a  cab  opposite  the 
entrance  to  the  plant  of  the  Radburn  Button  Com- 
pany, and  watched  the  employees  emerge.  There 
were  men  and  women,  boys  and  girls  —  and  chil- 
dren. Sidway  called  attention  to  the  children. 
Among  them  were  many  weary  and  listless  ones, 
who  should  have  had  no  place  outside  the  school, 
the  playground,  and  the  home.  They  might  be  of 
the  required  age  for  factory  work,  but  they  did  not 
look  it.  They  might  have  the  necessary  age  certifi- 
cates, but,  if  so,  the  ordinary  observer  would  be 
inclined  to  say  that  some  one  had  sworn  falsely. 
Many  there  wtere  who  were  unquestionably  entitled 
to  work,  under  our  beneficent  laws ;  but  many  others 
unquestionably  were  not.  They  came  forth  slowly 
and  wearily.  Except  in  a  few  isolated  cases,  there 


The   Cupidity  of  Carroll          245 

was  nothing  that  savoured  of  either  youth  or  child- 
hood about  them;  they  were  tired  workers  going 
home.  To  one  who  had  any  love  or  sympathy  for 
children,  it  was  a  pathetic  sight. 

"  Picture  the  monotony  of  life  to  such  children!  " 
said  Sidway,  almost  angrily.  "  Think  of  them  shut 
up  in  a  factory  day  after  day  and  week  after  week, 
deprived  of  all  health-giving  exercise!  There  is 
no  play!  There  is  no  real  life!  There  is  only  work 
and  ever  increasing  weakness !  It  is  more  than  child- 
hood can  stand !  You  and  I  to-day  are  more  youth- 
ful than  some  of  those  children !  "  He  pointed  out 
a  boy,  with  thin,  white  face,  who  was  trudging 
along  stolidly,  heavily,  his  step  lacking  all  the 
springiness  of  young  life.  "  The  price  of  Radburn's 
success,"  he  commented.  "  Shall  we  send  such  a 
man  to  Congress  ?  " 

McHugh  thought  of  his  own  children,  and  sighed. 

"  It  doesn't  look  right,"  he  admitted,  "  but  they 
all  do  it." 

"  No,  they  don't,"  asserted  Sidway,  warmly. 
"  Many  do,  but,  thank  God !  all  don't !  Some  live 
well  within  the  law  in  this  respect,  but  we  want 
better  laws.  Can  we  hope  to  get  them  if  we  hon- 
our such  men  as  this?  Child  labour  is  a  State 


246  Slaves  of  Success 

affair,  of  course,  but  what  can  we  expect  of  a  legis- 
lature if  we  give  a  Congressman's  influence  to  men 
like  David  Radburn?" 

"  We  can't  beat  him,"  pleaded  McHugh. 

"  I  only  ask  you  to  leave  the  chance  open,"  urged 
Sidway. 

"  I'll  think  about  it,"  said  McHugh.  "  Shall  we 
go  back  ?  " 

"  Not  yet,"  returned  Sidway,  and  he  gave  instruc- 
tions to  drive  to  Settlement  House.  "  I'll  give  you 
another  illustration  of  the  price  that  is  paid  for  this 
man's  success,"  he  said. 

They  were  in  Settlement  House  only  a  short 
time,  but,  when  they  came  out,  McHugh  was 
thoughtful  and  silent. 

"  Well  ?  "  said  Sidway,  inquiringly,  as  they  drove 
along. 

"  Sidway,"  returned  McHugh,  slowly,  "  I  don't 
think  you  can  win,  and  I'm  not  the  man  to  play 
with  fire  just  for  the  fun  of  burning  my  fingers,  but 
I'll  give  you  the  chance  you  ask.  Every  delegate 
that  I  can  control  will  go  to  the  convention  un- 
pledged. That's  all  that  I'll  promise  now1;  but, 
if  you  get  hold  of  any  of  the  high  cards  in  this 
game,  come  to  me  and  I'll  help  you  play  the 
hand." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          247 

IV. 

"  Have  you  come  for  encouragement  again  ?  " 
asked  Hazel  Hoyne,  when  Allen  Sidway  appeared 
at  Settlement  House. 

"  No,"  he  replied.  "  I've  come  to  borrow  one  of 
your  wards." 

"To  borrow!" 

"  Well,  temporarily  to  borrow.  Perhaps  I'll 
adopt  her  later." 

"  What  do  you  want  of  her?  "  asked  Miss  Hoyne, 
puzzled. 

Sidway  smjled  quizzically. 

"  I  suppose  I  might  as  well  be  honest  about  it," 
he  explained,  with  a  pretence  of  seriousness.  "  You 
see,  I  have  decided  that  it  is  an  impossibility  to 
separate  you  from  these  waifs,  and  so  I  have  de- 
cided to  take  the  waifs  in  order  to  get  you." 

"  Please  don't,"  she  pleaded.  He  did  not  know 
how  distressing  even  playful  references  to  this  sub- 
ject were;  how  strongly  she  had  been  tempted  to 
go  with  him  when  he  had  asked  her  previously; 
how  her  heart  wavered;  how  serious  a  matter  it 
was  to  her.  She  did  not  like  to  have  him  joke  about 
it,  and  yet  his  very  persistence  pleased  her.  But  he 
refused  to  heed  her  gentle  protest. 


248  Slaves  of  Success 

"  I  will  take  one  first,"  he  said,  "  and  if  that 
doesn't  bring  you,  I'll  take  another,  and  then  another 
until  you  will  simply  have  to  follow  your  charges." 

"  You  know  it  hurt  me  very  much  to  —  " 

"  How  foolish  of  you  to  hurt  yourself ! "  he 
broke  in. 

"  Please  don't,"  she  repeated.  "  Be  serious  and 
tell  me  what  you  want." 

"  Oh,  well,"  he  said,  "  if  we  must  take  up  minor 
matters,  I  want  to  beat  David  Radburn,  and  I  think 
that  child-product  of  his  factory  can  help  me  do  it. 
I  want  you  to  get  her  and  go  with  me  to  her  home. 
I  think  you  can  talk  to  her  mother  better  than  I 
can,  and  I  want  to  get  the  record  of  her  birth,  and 
also  the  circumstances  under  which  she  entered  the 
factory.  Frankly,  Hazel,  I  think  child  labour  is 
going  to  be  our  strongest  card  in  this  campaign.  If 
we  win  at  all,  we'll  win  on  that." 

"  Nothing  has  been  said  about  it  yet,"  suggested 
Miss  Hoyne.  "  I've  been  watching  the  reports, 
and  about  all  I've  seen  is  *  What  is  there  in  it, 
Carroll  ?  '  with  occasional  references  to  Radburn' s 
methods  of  doing  business  with  the  city." 

Sidway  laughed. 

"  '  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  '  was  my  sugges- 
tion," he  explained,  "  and  I  have  an  idea  it  hurts, 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          249 

but  it  won't  defeat  Radburn.  As  for  the  child  labour 
matter,  I  am,  saving  that  because  —  well,  because 
I  am  puzzled  to  know  how  to  make  the  most  effect- 
ive use  of  it.  Perhaps,  if  we  can  make  a  strong 
enough  case,  Carroll  may  be  forced  to  drop  Rad- 
burn. That  wouldn't  be  as  gratifying  or  as  dra- 
matic as  to  beat  him  openly,  but  it  is  the  only  plan 
that  promises  to  make  his  defeat  absolutely  certain. 
Will  you  help  me  to  strengthen  my  case?  " 

"  Of  course,  I  will,"  answered  Miss  Hoyne,  "  but 
I'm  afraid  we  can't  take  the  child  with  us  to-day. 
She  seemed  so  tired  and  ill  this  morning  that  we 
have  kept  her  in  bed.  The  Radburn  factory  has 
done  its  work  more  thoroughly  than  we  supposed 
when  we  first  brought  her  here." 

"  Oh,  if  the  delegates  could  only  see  and  know 
what  we  see  and  know !  "  cried  Sidway,  angrily. 

"  We  must  do  our  best  to  make  them  know  it," 
she  returned,  quietly.  "  I  will  go  with  you  and 
do  what  I  can.  Mrs.  Brody  knows  me." 

Mrs.  Brody,  the  mother  of  the  child,  was  greatly 
excited  when  a  carriage  stopped  in  front  of  her 
home,  and  "  the  good  Miss  Hoyne,"  as  she  was 
called,  entered,  accompanied  by  a  man. 

"  Has  anything  happened  to  Jennie?  "  she  cried. 


250  Slaves  of  Success 

"Oh,  Jennie's  dead,  little  Jennie's  dead!  I  know 
she's  dead!" 

Miss  Hoyne  quieted  her  with  a  few  gentle  words, 
and  then  Sidway  spoke  up. 

"  I  am  going  to  take  charge  of  Jennie,"  he  an- 
nounced. "  I  am  going  to  see  that  she  has  the  best 
expert  medical  attention.  If  science  can  give  her 
physical  and  mental  vigour,  I'll  see  that  it's  done! 
You  will  permit  me  to  do  this,  won't  you,  Mrs. 
Brody?" 

The  wom|an  was  bewildered.  She  didn't  know 
just  what  "physical  and  mental  vigour"  meant, 
but  she  had  unlimited  confidence  in  Miss  Hoyne, 
and  she  looked  to  her.  Miss  Hoyne,  for  her  part, 
was  also  bewildered.  Jennie  was  a  child  in  whom 
she  had  taken  the  deepest  interest,  and  this  an- 
nouncement was  entirely  unexpected.  As  for  Sid- 
way,  —  well,  he  might  have  done  this,  anyway,  but 
very  likely  his  knowledge  of  Miss  Hoyne's  deep 
interest  in  the  child  had  something  to  do  with  his 
sudden  resolve. 

"  By  all  means,  let  him  do  this,"  Miss  Hoyne  ad- 
vised the  mother,  after  a  moment  of  hesitation. 
"  She  needs  more  than  we  can  give  her  at  Settle- 
ment House,"  but  she  looked  at  Sidway  in  an  un- 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          251 

certain,  troubled  way.  This  was  entirely  aside  from 
their  purpose  as  previously  outlined. 

"  Very  well,"  said  Sidway.  "  Until  she  is  re- 
stored to  health,  she  is  my  ward." 

"  But  her  wages,"  urged  the  woman,  anxiously. 
"  We  have  to  live,  and  Miss  Hoyne  has  been  pay- 
ing—" 

"  During  the  time  she  is  under  my  charge,"  broke 
in  Sidway,  "  I'll  pay  you  twice  what  she  ever  has 
been  able  to  earn." 

Again  Miss  Hoyne  looked  at  Sidway  in  an  un- 
certain, troubled  sort  of  way.  Was  he  playing  a 
part  to  gain  the  woman's  confidence?  She  could 
not  believe  it  of  him,  and  yet  this  was  a  most  ex- 
traordinary task  for  a  young  man  to  undertake. 

"  That  being  settled,  Mrs.  Brody,"  Sidway  went 
on,  "  I  want  to  know  all  about  Jennie.  How  old 
is  she?" 

The  woman  was  instantly  on  the  alert. 

"  There's  others  younger  in  the  factory,"  she 
said,  "  and  I  had  to  do  it." 

"Had  to  do  what?"  asked  Sidway. 

"  Tell  Mr.  Sidway  the  whole  truth,"  urged  Miss 
Hoyne.  "  I  promise  you  that  no  harm  will  come 
of  it." 


252  Slaves  of  Success 

"  But  Jennie'll  never  get  her  job  back,"  pleaded 
the  woman. 

"  She  never  will,  if  I  can  help  it,"  said  Sidway, 
earnestly,  "  but  you  needn't  worry  about  that.  It's 
worth  something  to  me  to  save  her."  He  gave  Miss 
Hoyne  a  quick  glance  that  made  the  colour  come 
to  her  cheeks,  and  then  added :  "  And  I'll  cheer- 
fully pay." 

The  woman  understood  only  that,  for  an  indefi- 
nite period,  she  was  to  get  more  than  Jennie  ever 
before  had  earned,  but  that  was  enough.  She  dared 
not  offend  this  new  benefactor. 

Then  the  truth  came  out.  She  had  taken  Jennie 
to  the  factory  when  the  child  was  nine  years  old, 
and  had  truthfully  stated  her  age.  The  reply  was 
that  they  could  not  take  her,  although  they  had 
work  for  a  number  of  children  just  then,  —  work 
for  which  they  did  not  pay  sufficient  wages  to  tempt 
the  older  boys  and  girls.  Was  Mrs.  Brody  sure 
about  the  age?  Well,  Mrs.  Brody  hesitatingly  ad- 
mitted that  she  might  have  made  a  mistake  of  a 
year.  But  even  that  wouldn't  do. 

"  When  she  is  twelve,"  the  superintendent  had 
told  the  mother,  "  you  can  bring  her  back." 

Mrs.  Brody  had  taken  counsel  with  neighbours 
who  had  children  at  work,  wlith  the  result  that  she 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          253 

went  back  with  Jennie  the  following  day,  and  Jennie 
was  then  twelve  years  old,  —  the  age  required  by 
law  before  a  girl  was  allowed  to  work  in  a  factory. 

"  What  did  the  superintendent  say,  then  ?  "  asked 
Sidway. 

"  Why,  he  just  laughed  and  said :  '  How  fast 
the  years  fly ! '  and  then  he  told  me  where  to  go 
to  sign  a  paper  about  her  age,  and  I  did  it." 

"  Isn't  that  outrageous ! "  cried  Miss  Hoyne, 
hotly.  "  Think  of  sending  such  a  man  to  Con- 
gress ! " 

"  It  is  wrong,"  said  Sidway,  "  but  he  is  not  de- 
feated yet.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  has  any 
personal  knowledge  of  this  violation  of  the  law." 

"  Oh,  there's  lots  of  others ! "  exclaimed  the 
woman.  "  I  can  tell  you  a  dozen  of  them." 

"  Give  me  their  names,"  said  Sidway,  "  and  then 
tell  me  the  exact  date  of  Jennie's  birth,  and  where 
she  was  baptized." 

On  the  way  back  to  Settlement  House,  Miss 
Hoyne  was  very  thoughtful.  She  had  helped  Sid- 
way, but  she  was  troubled  and  doubtful. 

"  Allen  Sidway,"  she  exclaimed  at  last,  "  if  you 
don't  redeem  your  promise  to  that  poor  woman, 
I'll  never  speak  to  you  again." 

Sidway  looked  at  her  in  astonishment. 


254  Slaves  of  Success 

"Redeem  my  promise!"  he  repeated.  "Of 
course,  I'll  redeem  my  promise.  I  never  thought  of 
doing  anything  else." 

"  I  don't  mean  in  a  perfunctory  sort  of  way;  I 
mean  really  and  truly,"  she  persisted.  "  Do  you 
realize  what  your  promise  to  that  woman  means  ?  " 

"  I  do." 

"  Is  it  part  of  the  game  of  politics  ?  " 

"  It  has  nothing  to  do  with  politics." 

"  Wasn't  the  promise  given  to  induce  her  to 
talk?" 

"  No.  It  was  given  —  well,  for  the  child,  in 
part." 

"  I'm  glad  of  that,"  said  Miss  Hoyne,  and  with 
what  seemed  like  a  sigh  of  relief. 

Sidway  was  moody  during  the  rest  of  the  ride, 
but  when  he  helped  her  out  of  the  carriage  at  Settle- 
ment House  he  kept  her  hand  a  moment. 

"  Have  you  so  poor  an  opinion  of  me  as  that?  " 
he  asked. 

"  So  many  promises  are  made  in  politics,"  she 
answered,  "  and  they  are  held  so  lightly.  I  knew 
you  would  redeem  it  by  seeing  that  the  child  has 
every  attention  now,  and  —  and  for  some  time  — 
as  long  as  any  one  but  a  mother  would  expect.  I 
didn't  think,  however,  you  knew  how  much  you  were 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          255 

promising,  and  —  and  you  might  lose  your  interest 
with  the  passing  of  the  campaign  that  has  made  her 
of  so  much  importance  to  you.  It  may  take  years 
to  bring  that  child  back  to  real  life." 

She  tried  to  withdraw  her  hand,  but  he  still  held 
it. 

"  With  your  help,  I'll  do  it,  no  matter  how  long 
it  takes,"  he  insisted. 

"  How  with  my  help?  "  she  asked. 

"  I  put  her  in  your  charge  absolutely/'  he  said. 
"  I  authorize  you  to  engage  the  best  specialists  and 
to  place  her  wherever  she  will  receive  the  best  and 
most  skilful  attention,  and  I  will  cheerfully  meet 
every  expense  incurred  in  her  behalf.  Just  as  long 
as  this  is  necessary  it  shall  continue,  and  you  shall 
be  the  judge.  Will  you  do  this  for  me?  " 

"  No,"  she  answered,  but  as  she  said  it  she  smiled 
in  such  a  way  that  it  stopped  the  protest  he  was 
about  to  utter.  "But  I  will  for  the  child,"  she 
added. 

"  Of  course,  for  the  child,"  he  said,  "  but  I  should 
so  much  like  to  think  that  you  are  doing  just  a  little 
of  it  for  me." 

She  became  instantly  more  serious. 

"  Allen,"  she  said,  "  you  are  doing  this  for  me. 
It  is  flattering,  but  I  could  think  so  much  more  of 


256  Slaves  of  Success 

you  if  you  were  doing  it  for  the  child  —  for  human- 
ity. Won't  you  eliminate  me  from  consideration 
in  the  matter?" 

"  I'll  take  you  into  partnership,"  he  answered, 
"  and  we'll  work  together  —  for  the  child." 

"  Would  you  assume  all  the  responsibility  and 
redeem  your  pledge  to  the  letter  if  I  refused  ?  " 

"  Yes.  Your  interest  stimulated  mine,  but  now  I 
would  do  this  anyway." 

"  May  I  go  now  ?  "  she  asked,  for  he  still  held 
her  hand,  entirely  unmindful  of  the  fact  that  passing 
strangers  looked  at  them  curiously. 

"  Are  you  sorry  for  your  doubts?  "  he  persisted. 

"  Sincerely  sorry,"  she  answered.  "  I'm  sure  I 
did  you  an  injustice." 

He  slowly  released  her  hand,  but  he  looked  at  her 
in  such  a  way  that  she  was  blushing  furiously  as 
she  hurried  into  Settlement  House.  She  did  not 
say  so  even  to  herself,  but  she  knew  now  that  sooner 
or  later  she  would  surrender. 


v. 

Malcolm  Taylor  and  his  friends  continued  their 
vigorous  campaign,  but  Sidway  did  not  appear  in 
it  to  any  appreciable  extent.  His  work  in  organiz- 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          257 

ing  and  systematizing  the  little  "  machine  "  was  of 
the  utmost  value,  but  he  made  no  public  appearance 
on  the  stump.  He  provided  the  speakers  with  ma- 
terial, he  attended  to  many  details,  he  induced  many 
lukewarm  supporters  to  become  active,  he  assisted 
in  raising  the  necessary  funds,  he  advised  in  the  ap- 
pointment of  watchers  and  ticket-peddlers,  but  he 
remained  steadfastly  in  the  background.  Never- 
theless, Carroll  knew  who  was  doing  the  really 
effective  work  and  supplying  the  ammunition.  He 
was  still  certain  of  victory,  but  he  was  annoyed. 
"  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  "  brought  to  his  lips 
harsh  and  uncomplimentary  exclamations.  He  even 
spoke  bitterly  to  Radburn  at  times. 

"  I'm  paying  a  big  price  to  do  this  for  you,"  he 
said. 

"  Well,"  returned  Radburn,  "  you're  getting  a 
big  price  for  it.  I'm  letting  you  in  on  that  State 
concession  deal." 

"  I  helped  you  to  get  the  concession,"  suggested 
Carroll. 

"  But  it  was  my  plan,"  retorted  Radburn.  "  You 
never  would  have  thought  of  it  if  it  hadn't  been 
for  me,  and  you  couldn't  have  done  anything  with 
it  alone,  anyway.  My  holdings  and  knowledge  of 
the  conditions  are  what  made  the  deal  possible." 


258  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Oh,  I'll  stick  by  you,"  said  Carroll. 

"  You've  got  to,"  asserted  Radburn. 

Carroll  looked  ugly  for  a  moment,  but  Radburn 
was  right :  Carroll  could  not  afford  to  drop  him. 

"  Besides,"  Radburn  went  on,  "  you  can  afford 
to  drop  politics  after  this." 

"  But  I  don't  want  to  drop  politics,"  protested 
Carroll.  "  I  like  the  game.  I've  acquired  the  polit- 
ical habit,  and  it's  hard  to  break.  You  want  to  go 
to  Congress,  and  I  want  to  control  here.  I  tell  you 
I  don't  want  to  drop  politics,  Radburn,  no  matter 
how  much  money  I  may  have,  and  that's  why  this 
candidacy  of  yours  hurts.  You'll  win,  but  it  will 
weaken  me.  Why,  I'd  rather  give  one  thousand 
dollars  than  have  '  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ? ' 
chanted  as  it  is  now." 

"Can't  you  stop  it?" 

"How?" 

"  If  there  was  any  way  of  forcing,  or  inducing, 
Taylor  to  withdraw,  it  would  leave  Sidway  high 
and  dry,"  suggested  Radburn.  "  I  confess  I'd  pay 
something  for  that  myself." 

"  If  you  offered  money  to  Taylor  he'd  knock  you 
down." 

"  Oh,  not  money,  of  course,"  explained  Radburn, 
"  but  he's  in  a  losing  fight,  and  he  knows  it.  If  he 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          259 

had  a  certainty  of  something  else  —  which  you 
could  give  him  —  it  would  be  a  mighty  big  tempta- 
tion." 

"  I  don't  think  he's  that  kind  of  a  man,"  re- 
turned Carroll.  "  He'd  think  he  was  deserting  his 
friends." 

"  Still  it  ought  to  be  worth  trying,"  urged  Rad- 
burn.  "  Frankly,  Carroll,  I'm  afraid  that  Sid  way 
has  some  other  cards  to  play  —  not  winning  cards, 
perhaps,  but  cards  that  I'd  hate  to  see  played.  My 
superintendent  tells  me  there  was  a  photographer 
just  outside  the  factory  the  other  day  when  the 
children  were  leaving  work." 

"  What's  that  ? "  exclaimed  Carroll,  suddenly 
alert. 

"  Oh,  we  don't  know  that  Sidway  had  anything 
to  do  with  it,  but  there  was  a  photographer  there." 

"  Why,  you  fool !  "  cried  Carroll,  "  who  but  Sid- 
way  would  want  pictures  of  your  child-workers? 
And  it's  a  hundred  to  one  they'll  be  circulated  every- 
where! Where's  your  sense,  man?  Why  didn't 
you  tell  me  this  before?  "  Carroll  was  silent  for  a 
moment,  and  then  he  asked,  sharply,  "  Radburn,  are 
those  children  under  age?  " 

"  They  all  have  their  certificates,"  returned  Rad- 
burn, evasively. 


260  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Damn  it !  I'm  not  asking  about  certificates ;  I 
want  facts !  "  exclaimed  Carroll,  irritably.  "  There 
have  been  some  mighty  disagreeable  child-labour 
stories  in  circulation.  Are  they  true?  " 

"  They  can't  be  proved,"  said  Radburn. 

"  Are  they  true?  " 

"  Well,"  admitted  Radburn,  uncomfortably,  "  pic- 
tures of  some  of  those  children  would  have  a  mighty 
injurious  effect." 

"  They're  true,  and  they  know  they're  true,"  as- 
serted Carroll.  "  Now,  Radburn,"  and  he  became 
very  sarcastic,  "  is  there  any  other  trifling  detail  of 
this  business  that  you  haven't  deemed  of  sufficient 
importance  to  mention  to  me?" 

"  I  came  here  to  tell  you,"  replied  Radburn,  "  that 
Sidway  has  been  looking  up  records  in  the  city  hall, 
but  your  talk  of  what  it's  costing  you  made  me 
forget  it.  You  know  what  those  records  will  show." 

"  I  know  what  they  won't  show,"  retorted  Car- 
roll. "  They  won't  show  that  you're  giving  any 
compensation  for  the  alley  that  you  had  vacated  or 
for  the  street  that  you  have  fenced  in  for  your  pri- 
vate purposes." 

"  Others  have  done  the  same  thing,"  argued  Rad- 
burn. 

"  But  the  others  are  not  running  for  office,"  as- 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          261 

serted  Carroll.  "  I  don't  mind  telling  you,  Rad- 
burn,  that  you're  a  mighty  vulnerable  man,  and 
there's  a  whole  lot  of  trouble  ahead." 

"  What's  to  be  done?  "  asked  Radburn. 

Carroll  pondered  the  subject  before  replying. 
Then  he  rapidly  outlined  a  plan,  as  a  result  of  which 
Radburn  wrote  a  letter  from  his  dictation,  and  then 
hurried  away  to  get  the  age  certificates  of  various 
children  in  his  employ.  As  soon  as  he  had  gone 
Carroll  sent  for  Alderman  Kelly.  Kelly  was  not 
pleased  with  the  part  assigned  to  him,  but  he  had 
to  accept  it,  and  he  also  wrote  a  letter  from  dicta- 
tion. Carroll  had  made  him  politically,  and  Carroll 
could  unmake  him,  so  Carroll  could  command. 
After  writing  the  letter,  Kelly  went  to  see  Taylor. 
It  was  a  thankless  task,  but  Carroll  insisted,  and 
Kelly  obeyed.  Carroll  thought  that  he  was  begin- 
ning to  surpass  Wade  as  a  strategist. 

:<  Tell  him,"  said  Carroll,  "  that  he  can  go  to  the 
Legislature  if  he  will  draw  out  of  this  race.  If  he 
wants  to  break  into  politics,  this  is  his  chance,  and 
by  withdrawing  he  gives  up  nothing,  for  he  can't 
possibly  win,  and  he  knows  it.  We  are  offering 
him  a  certainty  of  success  for  a  certainty  of  defeat." 

Carroll  did  not  expect  this  offer  to  be  accepted, 
but  Radburn's  report  of  the  conditions  led  him  to 


262  Slaves  of  Success 

make  it.  And  there  was  another  thing"  to  be  gained. 
If  Taylor  did  not  accept,  he  would  certainly  tell 
Sidway  of  the  offer,  and  in  all  likelihood  that  would 
bring  Sidway  to  Carroll,  which  was  just  what  Car- 
roll desired.  He  wanted  to  see  Sidway  before  the 
latter  made  use  of  the  material  he  had  been  gather- 
ing. He  rather  expected  that  Sidway  would  make 
one  more  attempt  to  have  Radburn  dropped,  but  he 
wished  to  make  sure  of  it.  Meanwhile,  he  prepared 
for  any  unexpected  move  by  having  his  own  material 
put  in  shape  for  instant  use. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  things  happened  just  as  he 
had  expected.  Taylor  was  indignant  that  such  an 
offer  should  be  made  to  him,  and  what  he  said  to 
Kelly  was  extremely  forceful.  He  had  given 
thoughtful  consideration  to  the  matter  before  enter- 
ing the  race,  and  nothing  could  induce  him  to  with- 
draw. Furthermore,  carrying  out  the  plan  agreed 
upon,  he  insisted  that  he  had  a  good  chance  of  suc- 
cess. He  would  not  concede  for  a  moment  that  his 
cause  was  hopeless,  and  he  would  not  desert  those 
who  had  flocked  to  his  support,  even  if  it  were. 
Then  he  told  Sidway  all  about  it. 

"You  withdraw!"  cried  Sidway.  "Well,  I 
guess  not!  If  any  one  is  to  withdraw,  Radburn  is 
the  man,  and  I  guess  it's  just  about  time  to  make 


The   Cupidity  of  Carroll          263 

that  plain.  Why,  Taylor,  I've  got  a  case  worked 
up  against  him  that  is  almost  perfect ;  and  if  he  can't 
see  it,  I'll  bet  Carroll  can.  I've  got  the  material 
to  make  them  both  mighty  sick  of  this  business." 

Thereupon  Sidway  went  to  Carroll. 

"  We  might  as  well  finish  this  game  right  now," 
he  told  the  latter.  "  If  I  can't  beat  your  man  —  and 
I  think  I  can  —  I  can  make  your  victory  so  costly 
that  you'll  never  want  another  like  it.  I  can  just 
about  drive  you  out  of  politics,  Carroll,  if  you  force 
this  thing." 

Sidway  was  angry,  or  he  would  have  been  more 
diplomatic.  The  attempt  to  buy  off  Taylor  was 
more  than  he  could  stand. 

"  If  you  can  beat  him,  why  do  you  come  to  me 
with  any  proposition?  "  asked  Carroll,  who  had  been 
at  some  pains  to  plan  his  course  in  this  interview. 

"  Because  if  I  can  get  you  to  drop  him,  I'll  make 
a  certainty  of  what  is  now  only  a  probability,"  an- 
swered Sidway,  frankly,  "  and  when  you  know  the 
facts  I  think  you  will  be  rather  anxious  to  prevent 
the  kind  of  a  campaign  I  intend  to  make." 

"  You've  made  it  about  as  nasty  as  possible 
already,"  retorted  Carroll. 

"  Oh,  no,  I  haven't,"  asserted  Sidway.  "  So  far 
we've  only  had  a  little  preliminary  skirmish.  I  tell 


264  Slaves  of  Success 

you,  Carroll,  it's  going  to  be  warm  from  now  on. 
I  have  here,"  and  he  produced  them,  "  some  pic- 
tures of  Radburn's  child-workers  issuing  from  the 
factory.  Look  at  them,  Carroll !  " 

Carroll  glanced  at  them  disinterestedly. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  them? "  he 
asked. 

"I'm  going  to  have  them  reproduced  on  circu- 
lars," said  Sidway,  somewhat  disconcerted  by  Car- 
roll's tone  and  manner,  but  still  inclined  to  be  ag- 
gressively confident.  "  I'm  going  to  put  at  the  top 
of  the  circulars,  '  Will  you  let  this  man  make 
laws  for  you  ?  '  and  beneath  the  picture,  '  Some  of 
Radburn's  child- workers,'  and  beneath  that  in  large 
type,  '  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ? '  That  will 
make  people  think  a  little!  That  will  show  them 
the  violation  of  the  child-labour  law !  " 

"  Is  that  all  ?  "  asked  Carroll,  although  the  refer- 
ence to  that  annoying  question  made  him  scowl. 

"  No,  that  isn't  all,"  retorted  Sidway,  hotly,  for 
the  carelessness  with  which  the  question  was  asked 
angered  him.  "  I  have  the  birth  records  of  some 
of  the  children  and  the  baptismal  records  of  others. 
I've  tried  to  make  a  pretty  good  case  of  it,  Carroll, 
and  I  think  I  have  succeeded.  These  things  ought 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          265 

to  prove  real  effective  in  the  newspapers  and  the 
campaign  circulars  and  posters." 

"Anything-  more?"  asked  Carroll.  Sidway 
should  have  known  that  Carroll  was  seeking  to  get  a 
full  statement  of  his  case,  but  for  once  he  was  too 
excited  to  think.  He  was  angry  when  he  came,  and 
every  moment  was  adding  to  his  passion. 

"  Yes,  there  is  more,"  he  said.  "  I  have  records 
to  show  how  your  man  has  been  and  is  defrauding 
the  city.  I  have  proof  of  his  occupation  of  an  alley 
and  part  of  a  street  without  compensation  of  any 
kind,  and  I'll  see  that  these  facts  are  widely  circu- 
lated. I'll  head  them,  '  How  Radburn  makes  his 
money,'  and  I'll  put  beneath,  '  What  is  there  in  it, 
Carroll  ?  '  I  don't  intend  to  let  you  escape,  Carroll. 
I  know  it  hurts,  and  I'll  see  that  you're  coupled  with 
your  man  in  everything.  And  the  public  will  know 
that  you're  not  forcing  that  kind  of  a  man  for 
nothing." 

"  Now,  Sidway,"  said  Carroll,  trying  to  be  cool 
and  confidently  patronizing,  "  you  ought  not  to  get 
the  idea  in  your  head  that  you  know  the  game  of 
politics  just  because  we've  let  you  help  us  in  some 
other  campaigns.  You've  got  a  whole  lot  to  learn. 
Why,  I've  got  you  checkmated  before  you  move." 
He  took  a  lot  of  printer's  proofs  from  his  desk. 


266  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Here  are  facsimiles  of  the  age  certificates  of  those 
children,  all  ready  for  distribution.  No  matter  what 
you  may  think  you  have  discovered,  here  is  evidence 
to  clear  Radburn  of  all  intentional  violation  of  the 
law.  What  you  have  gleaned  from  the  parents  is 
directly  contradicted  by  them  under  oath.  If  the 
law  has  been  violated  the  parents  are  to  blame." 

The  production  of  the  circulars  was  like  a  dash 
of  cold  water  to  Sidway.  He  knew  of  the  existence 
of  the  age  certificates,  but  here  was  evidence  that  his 
own  plans  were  known  before  he  was  fully  ready  to 
put  them  in  operation. 

"  I  don't  think  those  age  certificates  will  count  for 
much,"  he  said,  more  calmly,  "  when  the  other  facts 
are  known.  No  one  could  look  at  those  children 
without  knowing  they  are  under  age,  and  if  Rad- 
burn would  cheat  the  city,  it  is  the  natural  presump- 
tion that  he  is  a  party  to  the  violation  of  the  child- 
labour  law." 

"  Radburn  has  not  intentionally  cheated  the  city," 
persisted  Carroll,  producing  three  letters.  "  I  have 
here  a  letter  that  Radburn  wrote  to  Alderman  Kelly 
two  years  ago,  offering  compensation,  and  I  also 
have  a  letter  of  recent  date  from  Alderman  Kelly, 
apologizing  for  his  delay  in  attending  to  the  matter. 
If  you  will  read  it,  you  will  see  that  the  original 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          267 

offer  was  mislaid.  It  is  a  very  fair  offer,  too  —  the 
offer  of  a  good  citizen.  There  was  some  agitation 
about  vacated  streets  and  alleys  at  that  time,  and 
Radburn  immediately  wrote  to  say  that  he  had  not 
understood  that  payment  for  such  concessions  was 
expected,  but,  if  so,  he  would  do  what  was  right  by 
the  city." 

"  Sounds  fishy,"  commented  Sidway. 

"  But  we  have  the  letters,"  said  Carroll. 

"  That  two-year-old  letter  looks  to  me  pretty 
fresh." 

"  But  Alderman  Kelly  admits  over  his  own  sig- 
nature that  he  received  it  two  years  ago;  and  in 
this  third  letter  Radburn  tells  him  to  see  that  the 
matter  has  immediate  attention,  and  that  he  is  pre- 
pared to  pay  reasonable  rental  from  the  time  the  first 
letter  was  written.  Isn't  that  fair,  Sidway?  And 
doesn't  that  effectively  dispose  of  your  campaign 
material  ?  " 

"  Carroll,  I  think  that's  all  a  trick,"  asserted  Sid- 
way. 

"  But  it  settles  you,  Sidway,"  laughed  Carroll,  in 
his  disagreeable  way.  "  This  game  of  politics  is  not 
so  easy  to  play  as  people  think." 

Sidway  left,  crestfallen.  He  was  satisfied  that 
there  had  been  trickery,  but,  as  matters  stood,  the 


268  Slaves  of  Success 

situation  was  unquestionably  more  favourable  to 
Radburn  than  to  Taylor.  Those  three  letters  and 
the  age  certificates  would  more  than  counteract  the 
effect  of  all  the  facts  he  had  gleaned. 

Carroll  sent  for  Kelly. 

"  The  letters  did  the  business,  Kelly,"  he  said. 

"  They  ought  to,"  growled  Kelly.  "  If  they  were 
made  public  they  would  make  a  lot  of  trouble  for 
me." 

"  Who  ever  thought  of  making  them  public  ?  " 
asked  Carroll. 


VT. 


"  How  is  our  ward  ?  "  asked  Sidway. 

"  About  the  same,"  replied  Miss  Hoyne.  "  I  have 
consulted  with  Doctor  Agnew  in  relation  to  her,  but 
he  has  not  yet  decided  just  what  to  do.  He  thinks 
it  may  be  well  to  send  her  to  the  country  after 
awhile,  if  we  can  find  a  suitable  place,  but  for  the 
present  he  wants  to  have  her  where  he  can  give  her 
his  personal  attention.  It's  something  of  a  problem 
to  know  just  where  in  the  country  to  send  her,  any- 
way. It's  not  like  sending  the  ordinary  waif  out 
to  play,  for  her  mental  and  physical  condition  neces- 
sitate watchful  care." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          269 

"  I  know  where  I  can  rent  a  nice  little  cottage," 
suggested  Sid  way. 

"  But  who  would  take  care  of  her?  " 

"  We  would." 

Miss  Hoyne  did  not  say  "Please  don't!"  this 
time,  but  she  hastily  changed  the  subject.  Still-there 
was  something  in  the  way  she  did  it  that  was  not 
altogether  distasteful  to  Sidway. 

"  How  is  our  little  '  machine '  ?  "  she  asked.  The 
use  of  the  plural  pronoun  was  unexpected  and  grati- 
fying. Here  was  another  partnership  arrangement. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say,"  he  reported,  "  that  the  little 
'  machine '  is  not  working  well.  I  fear  there  is 
something  wrong  with  the  engineer."  Then  he  told 
her  of  his  interview  with  Carroll. 

"  Are  you  discouraged  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  I'm  not  letting  any  one  else  know  it,"  he  an- 
swered. 

"  I  always  thought  you  were  a  very  persistent 
and  determined  man,"  she  said. 

"  You  have  reason  to,"  he  returned,  with  a 
laugh. 

"  Are  you  persistent  only  in  one  thing?  "  she  re- 
torted. 

"  I'm  still  fighting,"  he  insisted. 

"  But  not  with  spirit,"  she  asserted,  and  then  she 


270  Slaves  of  Success 

added :  "  Allen  Sidway,  I  hate  a  man  who  gives 
up !  Think  of  our  ward !  She  ought  to  be  enough  to 
defeat  Radburn!  What  have  a  lot  of  lying  letters 
got  to  do  with  her?  I  don't  believe  they'd  dare 
produce  those  letters,  anyway." 

"  I'll  fight  to  the  end,"  said  Sidway,  but  he  left, 
depressed  and  thoughtful.  What  new  and  effective 
move  could  he  make  ?  He  prided  himself  on  his  re- 
sourcefulness, but  what  could  he  do? 

Suddenly  he  stopped  short  in  his  walk. 

"  Can  it  be  done?  "  he  asked  himself. 

People  passing  saw  a  man  irresolute.  Twice  he 
turned  back  toward  Settlement  House,  and  twice 
he  turned  away.  Then,  as  if  suddenly  decided,  he 
called  a  cab  and  drove  to  see  Doctor  Agnew.  His 
interview  with  the  doctor  was  brief,  but  it  gave  him 
new  life,  and  he  was  again  an  enthusiast  when  he 
found  Larry  McHugh. 

"  I've  got  it !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  We  can  beat 
Radburn!" 

"  Can  we?  "  asked  Larry,  with  the  air  of  man  un- 
convinced. 

"  It's  a  practical  certainty." 

"  Well,  you'll  have  to  show  me,"  said  Larry. 

"  We'll  give  them  something  dramatic,"  per- 
sisted Sidway. 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          271 

"  Tableaux  don't  win  in  politics,"  returned  Larry. 
"  I'm  holding  my  men  unpledged,  but  I  can't  see 
anything  but  Radburn  in  this  campaign  yet." 

Sidway  unfolded  his  plan,  and  Larry  considered 
it. 

"  If  it  can  be  done,"  said  Larry,  at  last. 

"Why  can't  it  be  done?"  demanded  Sidway. 

"  I'd  like  to  try  it,"  admitted  Larry.  "  It  would 
make  a  sensation,  wouldn't  it?  And  we'd  just  about 
be  the  people  —  if  we  won.  Say!  "  and  Larry  be- 
gan to  get  enthusiastic,  "  that  little  coup  would  get 
the  big  type  in  the  papers  from  one  end  of  the 
country  to  the  other.  But  it  will  take  clever  manage- 
ment to  put  the  scheme  through." 

"  You're  a  clever  manager,"  insinuated  Sidway. 

"  I'm  fair,"  admitted  Larry.  Then  after  a  pause : 
"  Sidway,  I'll  take  a  chance  and  go  in  with  you  on 
this.  I'll  make  the  fight  on  the  floor  of  the  con- 
vention, and  I'll  see  if  I  can't  add  to  the  list  of 
unpledged  delegates  that  we  can  swing  at  the  right 
moment.  I  told  you  when  you  could  show  a  good 
chance  for  success  I'd  come  out  for  you,  and  I'll  do 
it." 

From  that  moment  McHugh  became  an  aggres- 
sive personality  in  the  campaign.  He  made  no 
speeches,  but  the  results  of  his  activity  were  so  ap- 


272  Slaves  of  Success 

parent  that  Carroll  sent  for  him.  McHugh  was 
slow  in  responding,  which  had  the  effect  of  making 
Carroll  anxious.  He  knew  that  McHugh  had  no 
great  love  for  him,  but  he  had  counted  on  his  sup- 
port, nevertheless,  and  it  was  support  that  he  did  not 
care  to  lose.  It  might  be  difficult  to  hold  others  in 
line  if  McHugh  deserted,  for  he  was  given  the  credit 
of  being  too  practical  and  experienced  a  politician 
to  take  up  a  losing  cause.  So  his  delay  in  respond- 
ing to  the  summons  was  disquieting.  The  fact  that 
he  avoided  an  interview  indicated  that  he  was  per- 
fecting plans  that  he  did  not  care  to  discuss  and 
that  would  not  be  pleasing  to  Carroll. 

In  this  emergency  Carroll,  having  failed  to  bring 
McHugh  to  him,  adopted  the  wise  course  of  going 
to  McHugh. 

"Larry,"  said  Carroll,  "what's  the  matter?" 

"Nothing,"  replied  Larry;  "everything  is  as 
lovely  as  it  can  be." 

"  I've  heard  queer  stories  about  you,"  persisted 
Carroll. 

"  Have  you  ?  "  returned  Larry. 

"  You  gave  me  to  understand  awhile  ago,"  said 
Carroll,  "  that  your  delegates  would  go  to  the  con- 
vention unpledged,  but  that  they  would  be  almost 
certainly  for  Radburn." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          273 

"  Yes ;  that  was  awhile  ago,"  said  Larry. 

The  tone  both  annoyed  and  puzzled  Carroll.  It 
was  not  aggressive,  but  neither  was  it  conciliatory; 
and  there  certainly  was  an  intimation  that  condi- 
tions had  changed.  All  in  all,  it  was  most  unlike 
McHugh,  the  cautious  politician. 

"  Larry,"  said  Carroll,  "  I  don't  know  why  you 
didn't  want  those  delegates  pledged,  but  we've  been 
in  a  good  many  fights  together,  and  I  had  confidence 
in  you,  so  I  let  it  go." 

"  You  let  it  go  because  you  had  to,"  asserted 
McHugh,  and  now  there  was  a  trace  of  aggressive- 
ness in  his  tone.  "  I  wouldn't  pledge  them." 

"  I  relied  on  your  assurance  that  they  were  almost 
certainly  mine,  but  now  I  want  it  made  a  certainty." 

"  You  don't  get  it,"  returned  McHugh. 

Carroll  was  startled.  This  was  out-and-out  de- 
fiance. 

"  Don't  be  a  fool,  Larry,"  he  urged.  "  We  have 
enough  without  your  people,  and  you'll  only  make 
trouble  for  yourself  if  you  balk.  With  you  we'll 
have  more  than  two-thirds  of  the  convention ;  with- 
out you  we'll  still  have  —  " 

"  Without  me,"  broke  in  McHugh,  "  you'll  have  a 
hard  fight  to  get  a  bare  majority.  When  you  lose 
me  you  lose  Neil  Harmon." 


274  Slaves  of  Success 

"  You  don't  know  what  you're  talking  about, 
Larry,"  asserted  Carroll,  but  he  was  troubled  never- 
theless. "  I've  seen  Harmon." 

"  So  have  I,"  retorted  McHugh,  grimly,  "  and  he 
thinks  so  well  of  my  judgment  that  his  delegates 
will  be  unpledged  and  ready  to  follow  my  lead. 
They  don't  think  much  of  Radburn,  anyway,  and 
when  my  circulars  are  put  out  —  " 

"What  circulars?"  'demanded  Carroll,  instantly 
alert. 

"  Those  relating  to  Radburn's  dealings  with  the 
city." 

"Only  those?" 

"  Aren't  they  enough  ?  " 

"Well,  hardly,"  laughed  Carroll.  "I  thought 
Sidway  had  abandoned  that  plan  after  his  interview 
with  me.  Didn't  he  tell  you  that  I  had  that  move 
checkmated  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes,"  returned  McHugh,  "  but,  Carroll,  you 
can't  bluff  me.  I've  been  in  the  business  too  long. 
You  daren't  produce  those  letters,  and  you  know  it. 
If  you  do  I'll  tear  your  campaign  wide  open!  If 
you  let  those  letters  see  the  light  of  day  there'll  be 
an  expert  with  a  microscope  at  work  on  them  before 
you  know  what's  happened." 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          275 

"I  ought  to  kick  you  through  the  window!" 
thundered  Carroll. 

"  But  you  won't,"  retorted  McHugh.  "  I  know 
you,  Carroll,  and  I  know  your  tricks.  I  know  Rad- 
burn,  and  I  know  his  nature.  He  never  made  any 
such  offer  as  that  two  years  ago;  he  never  made 
any  such  offer  until  this  campaign  was  well  under 
way.  It's  a  bluff!" 

"  The  moment  your  circulars  appear,  mine  will 
follow,"  threatened  Carroll.  "  I'll  show  you  whether 
it's  a  bluff." 

McHugh  leaned  over  his  desk  and  shook  an  ac- 
cusing finger  in  Carroll's  face. 

"  Now  listen  to  me,  Carroll,"  he  said.  "  If  you 
put  out  those  circulars,  you've  got  to  produce  the 
original  letters.  That  will  be  demanded,  and  you'll 
stand  convicted  of  dishonest  trickery  if  you  don't. 
Now  just  hang  on  these  few  words  of  mine!  The 
moment  one  of  those  circulars  appears  I  will  pub- 
licly offer  you  five  hundred  dollars  cash  to  produce 
the  originals  and  submit  them  to  inspection!  I'll 
do  better  than  that.  I'll  give  you  five  hundred  dol- 
lars right  now  if  you  will  put  those  letters  in  the 
hands  of  a  third  party  for  examination." 

For  a  moment  Carroll  was  silent.  His  "  bluff  " 
had  been  called  and  called  hard.  Then  he  protested 


276  Slaves  of  Success 

that  he  would  present  his  case  to  the  public  and  not 
to  the  opposition. 

"  You'll  not  present  it  anywhere,"  retorted 
McHugh.  "  If  you  dare  do  it,  now  is  the  time. 
Get  your  circulars  out,  for  mine  are  being  distrib- 
uted while  we  are  sitting  here." 

Carroll  was  startled  and  very  much  disturbed. 
This  charge  —  the  only  one  that  he  could  not  refute 
convincingly  —  gave  point  to  the  question,  "  What 
is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  "  It  showed  the  kind  of  a 
man  he  was  forcing;  it  led  to  inferences  as  to  the 
reason  for  his  extraordinary  interest  in  this  partic- 
ular candidate ;  it  made  suspicion  almost  a  certainty ; 
it  was  the  culminating  feature  of  a  chain  of  incidents 
that  led  to  but  one  conclusion.  But  success  dazzles 
the  public  until  it  is  unable  to  see  what  lies  behind  it ; 
in  defeat  only  is  danger. 

"  I've  got  to  win,"  was  Carroll's  decision.  "  It's 
my  political  finish  if  I  don't." 

VII. 

Carroll  made  the  fight  of  his  life  at  the  primaries, 
and  he  won.  But  the  victory  was  costly  and  unsatis- 
fying, for  the  little  "  machine  "  did  strenuous  work, 
and  demonstrated  that  it  was  well  organized.  The 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          277 

circulars  relating  to  Radburn's  dealings  with  the  city 
had  been  distributed  and  had  remained  unanswered, 
in  spite  of  the  fact  that  they  did  considerable  harm. 
After  his  interview  with  McHugh,  Carroll  had  not 
dared  put  out  the  answering  circulars.  Indeed,  as 
a  matter  of  fact,  he  never  had  intended  to  do  so,  for 
the  risk  was  too  great.  They  had  been  prepared 
solely  for  the  purpose  of  "  bluffing "  Sidway,  and 
they  would  have  been  effective  if  McHugh  had  not 
suddenly  become  an  active  partisan.  All  of  which 
led  Carroll  to  say  harsh  things  about  McHugh.  The 
latter  had  caught  him  in  a  "  bluff  "  and  had  forced 
him  to  tacitly  admit  it  —  a  fact  that  rankled.  To 
this  extent  at  least  he  had  been  defied  and  beaten; 
he  had  been  put  in  a  very  awkward  position;  he 
had  been  made  to  appear  foolish  and  insignificant  to 
those  who  knew  the  facts,  and  his  only  consolation 
was  that  few  knew  them. 

"  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  "  had  followed  him 
up  to  the  very  morning  of  the  primaries,  and 
McHugh's  circulars  had  given  added  significance  to 
the  question.  Why  was  he  forcing  this  vulnerable 
man?  Why  was  he  making  such  a  bitter  fight  for 
one  who  was  so  unpopular  with  many  of  the  party? 
He  knew  that  these  questions  were  in  the  minds  of 
many  people,  even  though  few  put  them  in  words, 


278  Slaves  of  Success 

and  he  knew  that  there  was  dissatisfaction.  Some 
of  the  pledged  delegates  would  redeem  their  pledges 
under  protest,  and  would  welcome  a  good  oppor- 
tunity to  desert.  Then,  too,  in  order  to  get  a  bare 
majority  of  the  delegates  he  had  had  to  make  prom- 
ises that  it  would  be  difficult  to  fulfil;  he  had  been 
forced  to  use  every  weapon  and  every  inducement  at 
his  command;  to  threaten  some,  cajole  others,  and 
apportion  patronage  with  a  lavish  hand.  It  was 
decidedly  mortifying  to  be  forced  to  such  extremities 
by  a  combination  of  mushroom  growth  —  and  to 
gain  so  little  by  it,  for  he  realized  that  it  would  take 
watchful  care  to  retain  his  advantage :  a  momentary 
lapse  might  lose  him  all. 

"  And  to  think,"  he  muttered,  "  that  Sidway  is  at 
the  bottom  of  all  this!  A  man  who  learned  what 
little  he  knows  of  practical  politics  from;  me !  How 
did  he  get  McHugh,  the  practical  man?  How  did 
he  convince  him  that  there  was  a  chance  of  win- 
ning? How  did  he  make  him  think  they  could  ac- 
complish anything  with  the  material  he  had  col- 
lected? And  why  didn't  they  use  the  rest  of  it?  " 

Carroll  scowled.  The  affair  certainly  had  been 
cleverly  managed.  They  had  used  only  the  facts 
that  he  dared  not  try  to  refute,  although  he  knew 
that  they  had  the  names  and  ages  of  many  of  the 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          279 

child-workers  in  Radburn's  factory,  in  addition  to 
the  photographs.  If  they  had  followed  Sidway's 
original  plan  of  circulating  these  facts,  he  could  have 
come  back  with  the  age  certificates,  but  to  produce 
those  before  definite  charges  were  made  would  be 
folly.  He  could  score  a  point  if  the  charges  were 
made,  but  it  would  be  suspicious  and  hurtful  for  him 
to  make  the  first  move. 

But  the  primary  election  had  given  him  control  of 
the  convention,  even  though  the  margin  was  small, 
and  much  might  be  made  of  that  advantage.  A  man 
must  feel  deeply  before  he  cares  to  be  identified  with 
a  losing  cause,  so  there  was  a  chance  to  get  some  of 
the  unpledged  candidates.  The  moment  the  result 
was  known  he  began  his  work. 

"  Well,  we  win,"  he  said  to  Neil  Harmon. 

"  Yes,"  admitted  Harmon. 

"  Will  you  be  with  us?  "  he  asked. 

"  No,"  answered  Harmon ;  "  at  least  not  now." 

There  was  something  of  promise  in  this,  so  Carroll 
persisted. 

"  You  will  be  later?  "  he  insinuated. 

"  Perhaps." 

"  On  the  second  ballot?  " 

Harmon  hesitated.  Carroll  certainly  had  a  major- 
ity of  the  convention  as  matters  stood,  and  Harmon 


280  Slaves  of  Success 

did  not  wish  to  be  left  stranded.  He  had  confidence 
in  McHugh,  but  all  men  are  fallible,  and  he  did  not 
care  to  go  down  to  defeat  with  any  one,  especially 
when  he  had  no  deep  personal  interest  in  any  partic- 
ular candidate.  He  had  promised  to  hold  his  men 
unpledged  and  deliver  them  to  McHugh,  if  McHugh 
could  nominate,  but  the  first  ballot  would  be  suffi- 
cient to  redeem  that  promise.  The  details  of  Mc- 
Hugh's  plan  were  unknown  to  him,  and  the  outlook 
was  not  bright  for  those  who  opposed  Carroll. 

"  If  you  can  nominate  on  the  first,"  he  said,' 
evasively,  "  why  do  you  want  me  on  the  second?  " 

"  I  want  vindication,"  replied  Carroll,  with  con- 
siderable feeling.  "  I  have  been  viciously  assailed  in 
this  campaign,  and  I  want  the  slanders  refuted  by 
the  vote  of  the  convention;  I  want  a  majority  so 
big  that  no  one  can  say  I  forced  this  thing.  Promise 
to  come  to  me  on  the  second,  and  I'll  see  that  there 
is  no  nomination  on  the  first." 

"What's  your  plan?" 

"Will  you  be  with  me?" 

Again  Harmon  hesitated.  Here  was  a  chance  to 
play  both  ways  —  to  win,  no  matter  what  the  con- 
vention did.  If  McHugh  could  nominate  on  the  first 
ballot  (which  seemed  to  be  out  of  the  question),  he 
would  be  with  him;  if  he  could  not,  his  promise 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          281 

would  be  redeemed,  and  he  could  swing  to  Radburn 
and  still  be  with  the  victor. 

"  If  you  have  your  eye  on  anything  in  politics," 
insinuated  Carroll,  "  you  can  count  on  my  support. 
As  a  matter  of  self-protection,  I've  simply  got  to  put 
Radburn  through  by  a  good  majority." 

"  I'll  do  it,"  said  Harmon.  "  If  there's  no  nomi- 
nation on  the  first,  I'm  with  you  on  the  second. 
Now,  what's  your  plan  ?  " 

Carroll  gave  a  sigh  of  relief.  He  had  evolved  the 
plan  during  the  conversation,  and  it  seemed  to  him 
a  good  one. 

"  I'll  have  Blakeley  put  in  nomination  as  a  dark 
horse,"  he  explained.  "  Some  of  the  unpledged 
delegates  will  vote  for  him  while  waiting  to  see  how 
the  wind  blows,  and  that  will  weaken  McHugh.  I'll 
have  some  of  my  men  vote  for  him,  also.4  Then,  on 
the  second  ballot,  my  men  will  jump  to  Radburn, 
you'll  swing  into  line,  and  with  that  start  we'll  catch 
every  waverer  and  sweep  the  convention.  Why, 
Harmon,  if  it  works  right,  we  can  come  pretty  near 
to  making  it  unanimous !  The  average  man  can  be 
mighty  easily  stampeded  by  one  who  knows  how 
to  do  it." 

Carroll  now  felt  that  he  had  the  battle  fairly  won, 
but  he  was  not  a  man  to  take  any  chances.  So  he 


282  Slaves  of  Success 

sounded  Sidway  and  McHugh.  In  view  of  the  pri- 
maries they  might  be  more  tractable,  and  it  would  be 
a  double  victory  and  a  double  vindication  if  he  could 
bring  them  to  the  support  of  Radburn.  No  one 
knew  better  than  Carroll  how  the  campaign  had 
weakened  him;  no  one  knew  better  than  he  how 
necessary  to  his  future  it  was  to  carry  the  convention 
by  more  than  a  narrow  margin,  and  thus  apparently 
disprove  the  charges  made  against  him. 

But  Sidway  was  defiant. 

"  I  tell  you  now  what  I  told  you  before,"  he  said. 
"  If  Radburn  is  nominated,  I'll  fight  him  at  the 
polls." 

"  You're  a  fool !  "  exclaimed  Carroll. 

"  But  I'm  not  a  knave !  "  retorted  Sidway. 

"You're  a  dead  duck  politically!  "  asserted  Car- 
roll, hotly,  "for  somehow  this  young  man,  more  than 
any  other,  could  rouse  his  anger. 

"  You're  going  to  be  reasonably  busy  looking  out 
for  yourself,"  answered  Sidway.  "  If  you're  wise, 
you  won't  waste  any  time  on  my  affairs." 

McHugh  was  not  so  aggressive,  but  neither  was 
he  tractable. 

"  Now  that  the  thing  is  settled,"  Carroll  said  to 
him,  "  I'd  like  to  make  Radburn's  majority  some- 
thing worth  while,  and,  now  that  you've  made  your 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          283 

little  fight,  I  suppose  you're  ready  to  come  back  into 
camp." 

"  Who  said  it  was  settled  ?  "  demanded  McHugh. 

"  We  have  the  delegates,"  asserted  Carroll. 

"  But  can  you  keep  them  ?  "  asked  McHugh. 

This  fairly  took  Carroll's  breath  away.  That  Sid- 
way  could  be  obstreperous  was  not  surprising,  but 
McHugh  was  a  practical  man,  who  was  not  disposed 
to  let  sentiment  sway  him. 

"  Now,  Larry,"  urged  Carroll,  "  I'm  giving  you 
your  last  chance,  and,  just  to  show  you  how  strong 
we  are,  I'll  tell  you  that  we  have  some  of  your  people 
pledged  to  come  to  us  on  the  second  ballot." 

"  Carroll,"  returned  McHugh,  "  there  isn't  going 
to  be  any  second  ballot." 

Carroll  was  confident  that  he  knew  better  than 
that,  but  he  was  up  late  that  night,  nevertheless,  per- 
fecting his  plans  for  the  convention  the  following 
day,  and  occasionally  asking  himself,  "  Now,  what 
the  devil  can  I  have  overlooked?"  For,  although 
his  reason  told  him  that  he  would  control  and  win, 
there  was  something  in  the  attitude  of  the  two  men 
that  made  him  anxious.  He  could  think  of  no  possi- 
ble move  that  would  give  them  victory,  but  he  was 
sure  they  had  some  plan. 

"  And  they're  not  conducting  this  campaign  along 


284  Slaves  of  Success 

the  beaten  lines  that  I  know  so  well,"  he  growled. 
"  They  keep  me  guessing  most  of  the  time." 


VIII. 

Carroll  discovered  what  he  had  overlooked  at 
breakfast  the  next  morning.  When  he  opened  his 
paper  he  fairly  jumped  out  of  his  chair,  for  there 
on  the  first  page  was  a  reproduction  of  one  of  the 
pictures  of  Radburn's  child-workers.  The  birth  and 
baptismal  records  of  many  of  the  children  were 
given,  also,  and  in  large  type  there  was  the  text  of 
a  circular.  This  circular  handled  both  Radburn  and 
Carroll  "  without  gloves."  It  began  with  the  ques- 
tion, "  Are  you  going  to  have  this  man  forced  upon 
you?"  Then  it  referred  in  strong  terms  to  Rad- 
burn's dealings  with  the  city  and  apparent  contempt 
for  the  child-labour  laws,  and  asked,  "  Shall  Carroll 
rule  ?  "  After  that,  it  told  of  the  dissatisfaction  with 
Radburn,  of  Carroll's  arbitrary  and  domineering 
stand,  and  inquired,  "  What  is  there  in  it,  Car- 
roll?" 

"  Are  the  sentiments  and  wishes  of  the  Twelfth 
District  being  defied  for  nothing? "  it  continued. 
"  Is  this  would-be  Czar  doing  this  for  love  of  either 
Radburn  or  the  public?  Is  he  flying  in  the  face  of 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          285 

public  opinion  that  good  may  come  of  it?  Is  he  that 
kind  of  a  man  ?  Does  his  record  make  such  a  motive 
seem  probable  or  even  possible  ?  Study  the  situation 
carefully,  consider  his  arbitrary  course,  think  of 
Radburn's  child-workers,  and  the  same  old  question 
must  inevitably  come  to  mind,  — 

"  '  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ?  '  " 

"  Damn  the  man  who  invented  that  question !  " 
muttered  Carroll.  "  Damn  Sidway !  " 

For  it  hurt.  In  view  of  the  pledges,  there  was 
little  likelihood  that  it  would  affect  the  vote  of  the 
convention,  but  it  might.  In  any  event,  it  added  to 
the  difficulty  of  holding  unwilling  men  in  line.  He 
knew  that  he  would  have  to  face  and  answer  many 
arguments  before  the  vote ;  that  he  would  be  urged 
to  drop  Radburn. 

His  wife  noticed  that  he  was  not  very  hungry 
that  morning.  A  little  toast  and  coffee  was  all  he 
wanted,  and  he  disposed  of  that  in  just  about  three 
minutes.  Then  he  hastened  to  his  office,  and,  as  he 
expected,  found  a  number  of  men  awaiting  him. 

"  Those  circulars  are  all  over  town,"  said  one  of 
them. 

"  Where  are  the  ones  that  you  prepared  ?  "  asked 
Radburn,  who  was  visibly  nervous  and  anxious. 
"  There's  yet  time  to  put  those  out,  isn't  there?  " 


286  Slaves  of  Success 

"  They  were  never  printed,"  answered  Carroll. 
"  They  were  of  no  use  to  us  as  long  as  Sidway  held 
his  back,  and  I  had  only  a  few  proofs." 

"  Hell ! "  ejaculated  Radburn,  and  ordinarily 
Radburn  was  far  from  a  profane  man. 

"  But  they're  in  type,"  added  Carroll.  "  I  told 
the  printer  to  be  ready  to  put  them  to  press  at  a 
moment's  notice." 

"  Oh,  McHugh  has  only  done  this  to  annoy," 
urged  Dixon,  a  cool  and  calculating  politician. 
"  He  knows  it  won't  win,  for  we've  got  the  dele- 
gates." 

"  But  it  hurts,"  protested  Radburn.  "  I  want  the 
charge  answered." 

"  I'm  going  to  have  it  answered,"  asserted  Car- 
roll, and  he  called  up  the  printer  and  ordered  the 
circulars  put  to  press. 

"  As  soon  as  a  thousand  are  ready,"  he  instructed, 
"  rush  them  over  to  me." 

"  Can't  get  them  out  much  before  noon,"  the 
printer  replied. 

"  Then  send  them  to  me  at  the  convention-hall," 
ordered  Carroll. 

Turning  to  the  others,  he  outlined  a  plan  for 
action. 

"  We  must  round  up  all  our  delegates,"  he  said, 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          287 

"  and  see  that  they  understand  the  situation.  Tell 
them  this  slander  will  be  refuted !  Don't  give  them 
a  chance  for  any  possible  excuse  to  break  away,  for 
we  haven't  any  too  strong  a  grip  on  some  of  them. 
Lay  down  the  law  to  them,  if  necessary!  Remind 
them  that  they're  pledged,  and  that  it's  their  finish 
if  they  desert.  I  don't  think  they'd  dare  do  it,  any- 
way, but  we  don't  want  to  take  any  chances !  Tell 
them  that  Harmon's  men  are  coming  to  us  on  the 
second  ballot,  and  that  it  isn't  intended  to  nominate 
on  the  first,  but  that  they  must  keep  in  line." 

"  Have  you  got  Harmon  ?  "  asked  Radburn,  sur- 
prised and  pleased. 

"  They're  promised  on  the  second,"  said  Carroll. 
Then,  turning  to  Dixon :  "  Have  you  got  a  good 
grip  on  your  delegates  ?  " 

"  They're  like  so  many  puppets,"  answered  Dixon. 

"  Can  you  vote  them  for  Blakeley  on  the  first, 
and  bring  them  to  Radburn  on  the  second  ?  " 

"  Sure." 

"  Then  do  it.  I've  got  the  matter  fixed  with 
Blakeley.  Morris  will  put  him  in  nomination,  and 
we'll  try  to  catch  some  of  the  unpledged  men.  On 
the  second,  vote  your  men  for  him  first,  and  then 
change  the  vote  at  the  last  moment.  Harmon  will 
swing  to  him  from  Taylor,  and  your  sudden  switch 


288  Slaves  of  Success 

will  give  impetus  to  the  movement.  We'll  start  the 
cheering-  then,  and  in  the  excitement  and  enthusiasm 
others  will  be  falling  over  themselves  to  get  into  the 
band  wagon." 

"Is  it  safe?"  asked  Radburn,  doubtfully.  "If 
we  can  nominate  on  the  first,  why  not  do  it?  " 

"Safe!"  cried  the  others.  "Why,  it's  a 
'cinch'!" 

"  I  want  the  vindication  of  a  big  majority,  and 
so  do  you,"  asserted  Carroll. 

"  And  Carroll,"  said  Dixon,  admiringly,  "  usually 
gets  what  he  wants.  He  certainly  has  this  framed 
up  just  right  to  put  you  through  with  such  a  hurrah 
that  you'll  think  you're  the  most  popular  man  in  the 
district." 

About  the  same  time  McHugh,  Sid  way,  and 
Taylor  were  having  a  conference. 

"  Do  you  think  those  child-labour  circulars  will 
do  any  good  at  this  late  day  ?  "  asked  Taylor. 

"  They  will  prepare  the  minds  of  the  delegates 
for  what  is  to  follow,"  answered  McHugh.  "Of 
themselves  they  amount  to  little,  but  as  a  curtain- 
raiser  for  the  big  show  they  are  sure  to  have  an 
effect.  They  turn  thoughts  into  the  right  channel. 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          289 

I  think,  too,  they  will  have  a  tendency  to  make  some 
of  the  Radburn  delegates  restive." 

"  That's  a  certainty,"  asserted  Sidway.  "  They 
serve  to  concentrate  attention  on  the  one  thing,  and 
the  Twelfth  District  is  not  one  to  hold  such  offences 
lightly.  I'll  bet  a  lot  of  the  delegates  are  worried 
right  now  to  know  how  they  are  going  to  excuse 
themselves  to  their  neighbours  and  friends  for  vot- 
ing for  such  a  man.  They  are  in  just  the  right 
frame  of  mind  for  us." 

"  But  can't  the  circulars  be  answered  now  as 
well  as  they  could  have  been  a  week  or  so  ago  ?  " 
persisted  Taylor. 

McHugh's  brow  clouded. 

"  I've  thought  of  that,"  he  said.  "  We're  taking 
a  chance,  but  I  think  we'll  win,  for  I  don't  believe 
Carroll's  circulars  have  been  printed.  If  we  had  put 
ours  out  earlier  he  would  have  wanted  fifty  thousand 
of  his  at  least,  but  he  had  to  wait  for  us.  If  he  had 
had  fifty  thousand  printed  and  we  had  made  no 
move,  it  would  have  been  a  waste  of  money.  I 
think  he  has  been  waiting  and  watching." 

"  This  is  no  holiday,"  suggested  Taylor.  "  The 
printers  are  working." 

For  a  moment  McHugh  remained  buried  in 
thought. 


290  Slaves  of  Success 

"  Ballard  &  Co.  have  always  done  the  printing 
for  Carroll,"  he  said,  musingly.  "  If  those  circulars 
are  being  run  off,  Ballard  &  Co.  are  doing  the  job." 
Again  he  was  silent  for  a  moment.  "  I  think  I  can 
fix  it,"  he  announced  at  last.  "  I'll  meet  you  at  the 
convention-hall  at  eleven  o'clock.  That  will  give 
us  an  hour  to  see  that  everything  is  in  shape." 

McHugh  hunted  up  a  resourceful  youth  of  his 
acquaintance,  to  whom  he  gave  a  five-dollar  bill  and 
some  instructions. 

The  youth  hired  a  cab,  and  went  to  the  ofHce  of 
Ballard  &  Co.,  but  did  not  enter.  Instead,  he  waited 
in  the  cab  at  a  point  where  he  had  a  good  view 
of  the  entrance  to  the  building.  An  hour  passed, 
an  hour  and  a  half,  and  still  he  waited.  A  little 
after  eleven  o'clock  a  boy  emerged  from  the  building 
carrying  a  bundle  with  a  printed  sheet  on  the  out- 
side of  it.  Instantly  the  youth  leaped  from  his  cab. 

"  Is  that  for  Mr.  Carroll  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  boy. 

"  Give  it  to  me  quick !  "  ordered  the  youth.  "  I've 
come  for  it  with  a  cab.  Don't  you  people  know  that 
time  is  money  with  us  to-day  ?  " 

"  Sign  this,"  said  the  boy,  presenting  his  book. 

The  youth  signed  the  first  name  that  came  into  his 
head. 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          291 

In  an  anteroom  of  the  convention-hall  Carroll 
was  pacing  nervously  back  and  forth,  while  McHugh 
was  waiting  with  equal  impatience  for  some  mes- 
sage. It  was  almost  time  for  the  convention  to  be 
called  to  order,  and  neither  had  heard  from  those 
circulars.  McHugh  was  a  delegate,  but  Carroll  was 
not.  McHugh  handled  his  men  in  the  hall,  Carroll 
manipulated  his  from  the  anteroom.  Both  would 
be  uneasy  until  some  word  came  from  the  printer. 

Presently  a  man  that  Carroll  had  sent  out  to  a 
telephone  returned. 

"  The  printer  says  they  were  delivered  to  your 
messenger,  who  came  for  them  in  a  cab,"  said  the 
man. 

Thereupon  Carroll  made  some  lurid  remarks,  for 
he  had  sent  no  man  in  a  cab. 

"That's  McHugh,"  he  said,  finally.  "  Sidway 
never  would  have  been  up  to  a  trick  like  that." 

A  moment  later  a  note  was  handed  to  McHugh, 
and,  after  reading  it,  McHugh  gave  a  sigh  of  relief 
and  then  chuckled,  for  the  scrawl  was  to  the  follow- 
ing effect : 

"  MR.  McHucH  :  —  I  chucked  them  in  the  sewer. 

"  JIM." 


292  Slaves  of  Success 


IX. 


Developments  at  the  convention-hall  did  not 
please  Carroll.  He  had  arrived  early,  in  order  that 
he  might  thoroughly  study  the  situation,  and  almost 
immediately  Neil  Harmon  had  asked  to  be  released 
from  his  second-ballot  pledge. 

"  My  people,"  he  said,  "  don't  like  that  child- 
labour  business.  We  think  a  good  deal  of  children 
over  our  way.  We  aren't  particularly  emotional, 
but  we  have  hearts  and  we  have  children  of  our 
own.  For  the  most  part  our  children  don't  have  to 
work,  but  the  fact  that  we  have  them  leads  us  to 
think  of  the  fate  of  others,  and  it's  going  to  be 
mighty  hard  to  explain  a  vote  for  Radburn  to  some 
of  those  who  sent  us  to  this  convention." 

"  Don't  you  worry  about  that,"  replied  Carroll. 
"  That  campaign  lie  will  be  answered  before  the  con- 
vention is  called  to  order.  We've  got  proof  that 
everything  is  all  right.  I'm  expecting  stuff  from 
the  printer's  that  will  make  a  roorback  of  this  attack 
on  Radburn." 

Harmon  still  grumbled,  but  Carroll  insisted  upon 
holding  him  to  his  promise.  If  he  didn't  swing  to 
Radburn  on  the  second  ballot,  according  to  agree- 
ment, he  would  be  out  in  the  cold,  for  they  had 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          293 

enough  to  nominate  anyway.  All  they  asked  of  him 
was  to  make  the  majority  a  big  enough  one  to  fully 
vindicate  them  in  the  fight  they  had  made. 

Others  seemed  to  feel  much  as  Harmon  did,  and 
Carroll  and  his  lieutenants  were  busy  every  minute 
of  the  time.  They  overlooked  nothing  in  their 
efforts  to  hold  the  men  in  line,  even  producing  the 
original  age  certificates  as  a  last  resort.  But  it  was 
possible  for  only  a  few  of  the  delegates  to  see  these, 
and  Carroll  fully  appreciated  the  instability  of  his 
position.  Some  there  were  who  would  be  with  him 
and  his  man  through  thick  and  thin,  but  others  were 
unquestionably  wavering.  They  feared  to  desert 
him,  however.  In  his  talk  he  was  so  confident  of 
success  that  they  felt  that  their  political  salvation 
depended  on  their  loyalty  to  him.  He  always  had 
won ;  why  should  he  lose  now  ?  He  always  had  re- 
warded his  friends  and  punished  his  enemies;  why 
should  they  run  the  risk  of  being  numbered  among 
the  latter?  But  the  reasoning  did  not  fully  satisfy. 
Even  in  victory  they  would  have  much  to  explain. 

Under  these  conditions  the  failure  to  receive  the 
expected  circulars  was  a  hard  blow  to  Carroll ;  but 
he  put  a  bold  face  on  the  matter.  He  was  fighting 
for  his  political  life.  Up  to  the  moment  that  the 
convention  was  called  to  order  he  insisted  that  they 


294  Slaves  of  Success 

were  coming,  and  he  did  it  with  such  earnestness 
and  apparent  confidence  that  he  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing a  permanent  organization  that  was  satisfactory 
to  him.  McHugh  tried  hard  to  win  this  point,  but 
he  was  neither  disturbed  nor  surprised  when  he  was 
unsuccessful. 

"  That  helps  some,"  commented  Carroll.  "  A 
good  deal  can  be  done  with  a  chairman  who  can  be 
relied  upon  at  a  critical  moment." 

"  We  forced  Carroll  to  show  his  full  strength," 
was  McHugh's  comment,  "  and  he  has  a  mighty  slim 
majority."  Then  he  turned  to  one  of  his  lieutenants 
and  asked,  "  Have  you  seen  Sidway?  " 

"  He  and  Taylor  are  in  the  janitor's  room  at  the 
back  of  the  hall,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  smuggled  them 
in  myself." 

"  Good,"  said  McHugh.  "  When  I  speak,  stand 
by  the  door  and  give  Sidway  the  word."  Then  he 
added,  with  a  laugh,  "  We  may  not  win,  but  there'll 
be  something  doing  before  this  convention  ad- 
journs." 

After  the  permanent  organization,  the  business 
of  the  convention  proceeded  without  a  hitch.  Every- 
thing was  cut  and  dried.  All  had  been  so  com- 
pletely prepared  in  advance  that  the  necessary  com- 
mittees were  appointed  quickly,  and  were  able  to 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          295 

report  with  unusual  promptness.  In  fact,  they  re- 
tired for  consultation  only  as  a  matter  of  form. 
There  were  no  contests.  Carroll  had  grounds  for 
none,  and  McHugh  had  seen  the  futility  of  making 
any.  He  would  have  to  win  with  the  delegates 
already  on  the  floor  of  the  convention.  He  kept 
close  watch  of  these,  and  he  noted  that  Carroll  was 
using  every  possible  effort  to  strengthen  his  lines. 
The  fact  that  he  had  succeeded  in  organizing  the 
convention  was  used  with  good  effect.  He  remained 
in  the  anteroom,  but  he  had  men  on  the  floor  to 
point  out  that  this  demonstrated  his  power  and  fore- 
told his  success.  So  well  was  this  work  done  that 
when  the  time  came  for  the  nominating  speeches  he 
was  reasonably  confident.  Many  of  the  wavering 
had  ceased  to  waver,  having  convinced  themselves 
that  the  result  was  already  practically  settled,  and 
that  it  would  be  folly  to  desert  to  a  losing  cause. 

Blakeley  was  the  first  man  put  in  nomination,  but 
the  nominating  speech  was  a  perfunctory  affair. 
Blakeley  was  merely  a  stalking-horse  for  Radburn. 
If,  for  any  reason,  Radburn  should  fail  at  the  criti- 
cal moment  to  get  the  necessary  votes,  a  serious  at- 
tempt might  be  made  to  put  Blakeley  through,  but 
for  the  moment  he  was  only  a  convenience  —  a  man 
for  whom  delegates  could  vote  while  awaiting  de- 


296  Slaves   of  Success 

velopments.  So  he  was  nominated  according  to  the 
regulation  convention  formula  and  without  much 
enthusiasm.  If  he  succeeded  in  catching  a  few  Tay- 
lor votes  on  the  first  ballot,  in  addition  to  those  that 
Carroll  had  assigned  to  him  from  the  Radburn 
ranks,  he  would  have  served  the  purpose  for  which 
he  was  put  up. 

Radburn's  name  was  the  next  presented,  and  now 
there  was  enthusiasm.  The  Carroll  men  took  ad- 
vantage of  every  opportunity  for  cheering.  When 
Radburn  was  pictured  as  an  ideal  public-spirited 
citizen,  they  made  the  hall  ring.  When  reference 
was  made  to  the  "  vicious  slanders  "  that  had  been 
circulated,  they  roared  their  approval.  When  it  was 
explained  that  Radburn  had  at  all  times  been  ready 
to  pay  for  the  use  he  made  of  alley  and  street,  if 
others  did,  and  that  his  check  was  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  proper  city  official,  they  stood  on  their  seats 
and  waved  hats  and  canes. 

This  nominating  speech  was  not  of  the  ordinary 
kind,  for  the  circumstances  were  unusual.  Inter- 
woven with  the  customary  laudatory  remarks  was  an 
ingenious  reply  to  the  charges  made  against  the  can- 
didate. A  word-picture  was  given  of  him  in  his 
home,  surrounded  by  his  own  children,  and  mention 
was  made  of  the  fact  that  he  had  contributed  lib- 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          297 

erally  to  various  charities  that  had  to  do  with  the 
welfare  of  children.  Could  such  outrageous  stories 
as  had  been  circulated  hurt  such  a  man?  Would 
any  one  believe  them?  Was  it  not  proper  —  ay, 
imperative  —  that  they  should  be  refuted  by  a  vote 
of  confidence  from  his  neighbours  and  friends  — 
such  a  vote  as  could  be  given  by  this  convention? 
Ought  it  not  to  be  demonstrated  that  such  disgrace- 
ful methods  could  not  win  in  politics? 

"  It  only  remains  for  you,"  said  the  orator,  in 
conclusion,  "  to  show  your  contempt  for  this  auda- 
cious trickery  by  giving  the  people  of  your  district 
an  opportunity  to  vote  for  that  conscientious,  sym- 
pathetic, and  successful  citizen,  whose  name  I  have 
the  honour  to  present  to  this  convention." 

The  cheering  lasted  for  ten  minutes,  and  Carroll, 
in  the  anteroom,  grew  more  cheerful  and  confident 
as  he  heard  it. 

"  As  a  nominating  speech,"  he  remarked,  "  that  is 
not  exactly  according  to  Hoyle,  but  it  was  needed 
to  do  the  business.  This  isn't  the  time  to  stand  on 
ceremony  or  bother  with  precedent.  Better  a  cam- 
paign speech  and  victory  than  a  purely  nominating 
speech  and  defeat." 

But  the  nomination  of  Taylor  was  even  more  un- 
usual and  sensational.  McHugh  made  the  speech. 


298  Slaves  of  Success 

Carroll  had  expected  that  Sidway  would  do  it,  but 
Sidway's  alternate  had  his  place,  and  Sidway  himself 
was  not  to  be  seen  in  the  hall.  This  fact  had  occa- 
sioned some  speculation  and  uneasiness  at  first.  In 
the  excitement  of  the  proceedings,  however,  it  had 
been  forgotten,  and  the  appearance  of  McHugh  on 
the  platform,  from  which  all  the  nominating 
speeches  were  made,  did  not  worry  Carroll.  Mc- 
Hugh, the  cautious  and  calculating  politician, 
had  permitted  himself  to  become  so  thoroughly 
identified  with  the  Taylor  campaign  that  he  had  to 
stand  or  fall  with  it.  Never  before,  according  to 
Carroll,  had  McHugh  acted  so  foolishly;  but,  his 
line  of  retreat  being  already  cut  off,  there  was  noth- 
ing to  be  gained  by  keeping  in  the  background. 

McHugh  began  hrthe  customary  way,  and  it  was 
only  as  he  neared  his  peroration  that  sensational 
features  began  to  creep  in.  Then  he  went  even 
farther  than  his  predecessor  —  not  in  defence,  but 
in  attack.  Indeed,  old-timers  afterward  asserted 
that  never  before  had  they  even  heard  of  such  an 
extraordinary  convention  as  this  one. 

"  I  shall  present  to  you,"  said  McHugh,  slowly 
and  impressively,  as  he  neared  the  close,  "  the  name 
of  a  man  who  has  been  honourable  in  his  dealings 
with  all  —  even  the  municipality ;  a  man  who  would 


The   Cupidity  of  Carroll          299 

not  wait  two  or  three  years  to  pay  for  a  street  or 
an  alley  that  he  had  appropriated ;  a  man  who  would 
not  wait  to  find  out  whether  his  neighbour  was 
honest  before  he  acted  honestly  himself.  I  shall 
present  to  you  the  name  of  a  man  who  has  not  per- 
sistently violated  the  law ;  a  man  who  has  not  made 
his  money  by  the  sweat  of  children's  brows ;  a  man 
who  has  not  replied,  when  asked  to  carry  a  child- 
wreck  on  his  pay-roll  temporarily,  that  he  could  not 
afford  to  establish  such  a  precedent;  a  man  whose 
success  is  not  made  at  the  cost  of  the  next  genera- 
tion; a  man  who  does  not  lure  parents  to  perjury 
that  he  may  profit  by  the  labour  of  their  children." 

This  was  said  with  such  deliberate  emphasis  that 
it  held  the  convention  in  a  silence  more  telling  than 
the  enthusiasm  that  had  preceded  it.  The  effect  was 
so  evident  that  the  Radburn  men  rallied  in  an  effort 
to  overcome  it. 

"I  protest  against  these  unfounded  charges!" 
one  man  yelled. 

"  Point  of  order !  "  shouted  another,  and  pande- 
monium followed. 

The  Radburn  men  took  the  cue  and  began  shout- 
ing their  protests,  while  the  Taylor  men  answered 
with  cries  of  "  Fair  play !  "  "  Let  him  go  on !  "  etc. 
In  various  parts  of  the  hall  delegates  were  standing 


300  Slaves  of  Success 

on  their  chairs,  yelling  and  shaking  their  fists  at 
each  other;  the  chairman  was  pounding  his  desk 
with  the  gavel ;  McHugh  was  waving  a  paper  over 
his  head,  while  waiting  for  a  chance  to  make  him- 
self heard. 

"  I  have  here,"  he  shouted,  when  quiet  had  been 
partly  restored,  "  the  confessions  of  two  women 
whose  children  work  for  this  man !  " 

"  This  is  a  convention  and  not  a  court!  "  cried  a 
Radburn  delegate,  and  the  storm  broke  again.  The 
Taylor  men  were  yelling  for  the  truth,  and  the  Rad- 
burn men  were  protesting  against  making  a  jury 
trial  of  the  proceedings.  In  the  midst  of  the  con- 
fusion McHugh  replaced  the  papers  in  his  pocket, 
and  that  had  a  quieting  effect.  The  Radburn  people 
thought  he  was  defeated  in  his  purpose;  but,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  he  had  made  his  point.  None  knew 
better  than  McHugh  that  it  was  no  time  or  place  to 
present  such  documents,  and  that  under  no  circum- 
stances would  he  be  permitted  to  read  them.  He 
desired  only  to  add  to  the  force  of  the  circulars,  and 
this  he  had  done  in  a  daring  and  unprecedented 
way. 

"  I  present  for  your  consideration,"  he  added, 
"  the  name  of  a  young  man  too  conscientious,  too 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          301 

honourable,  too  humane,  to  woo  fortune  by  any  of 
the  methods  I  have  described,  —  Malcolm  Tay- 
lor." 

Instantly  the  Taylor  men  were  on  their  feet 
again,  cheering;  the  Radburn  men,  their  passions 
stirred  by  this  extraordinary  speech,  began  to  hiss; 
McHugh,  again  violating  precedent,  did  not  retire, 
but  stood  beside  the  chairman,  waiting. 

Suddenly,  with  a  commanding  gesture,  he  pointed 
to  the  back  of  the  hall. 

"  A  product  of  the  Radburn  factory !  "  he  cried. 

Down  the  main  aisle  came  Sidway,  carrying  a 
frightened,  stunted,  emaciated  child  in  his  arms,  — 
a  child  who,  even  in  her  fright,  clung  to  him  trust- 
ingly. 

The  delegates  climbed  on  chairs  and  each  other's 
shoulders  to  see,  and  the  effect,  in  view  of  all  that 
had  gone  before,  was  even  greater  than  Sidway  or 
McHugh  had  anticipated.  The  convention  had  been 
brought  to  just  the  right  point  for  this  climax;  it 
was  as  emotional  as  a  gathering  of  women;  it  was 
almost  hysterical  in  its  excitement. 

The  Radburn  men  made  one  effort  to  cut  off  Sid- 
way's  advance  and  force  him  back,  but  they  were 
not  quick  enough.  Before  they  could  reach  him,  he 
had  been  surrounded  by  a  body-guard  of  other  dele- 


302  Slaves  of  Success 

gates,  and  cries  of  indignation  came  from;  all  parts 
of  the  hall. 

Carroll,  standing  in  the  doorway  of  the  anteroom, 
saw  the  danger  and  acted  promptly.  His  line  was 
broken;  he  would  have  to  have  time  to  repair  the 
damage. 

"  Recognize  Dixon,"  was  the  message  he  sent  to 
the  chairman,  "  and  put  his  motion  for  a  recess 
through  under  the  gavel.  We're  lost  if  there  is  a 
vote  now." 

McHugh,  still  holding  his  position  on  the  plat- 
form, saw  the  message  delivered,  and  guessed  its 
purport. 

"Look  at  those  delegates!"  he  said,  warningly. 
"  Before  you  try  any  trickery,  call  an  ambulance ; 
you'll  need  it !  " 

The  chairman  was  white  and  trembling.  The 
temper  of  the  men  before  him  was  apparent;  the 
convention  was  practically  beyond  his  control;  the 
Radburn  men  seemed  to  have  become  a  small  minor- 
ity. But  Carroll  was  his  political  master. 

"  Mr.  Chairman !  I  move  that  we  take  a  recess 
until  four  o'clock !  "  rang  out  the  voice  of  Dixon. 

"  Second  that  motion ! "  came  from  another  part 
of  the  hall. 

"  No !  no !  no !    Ballot !  ballot !  "  cried  a  score  of 


The  Cupidity  of  Carroll          303 

voices,  and  it  seemed  as  if  half  the  convention  was 
moving  toward  the  platform. 

The  chairman's  knees  shook  and  he  leaned  heavily 
on  his  desk  for  support,  but  he  put  the  question. 
The  "  ayes  "  were  many,  but  the  "  noes  "  came  with 
a  roar  that  left  no  room  for  doubt. 

"  Under  the  gavel,"  muttered  the  chairman,  in  an 
effort  to  keep  his  nerve.  Then,  with  a  pretence  of 
confidence,  he  said :  "  The  ayes  seem  to  have  it, 
the  —  " 

To  his  startled  gaze  it  seemed  as  if  the  convention 
was  coming  to  him  in  a  body,  and  the  cries  that 
greeted  his  ears  were  the  cries  of  thoroughly  angry 
men.  They  were  shouting  to  each  other  to  pull  him 
from  the  platform,  to  drive  him  out,  to  stop  the 
high-handed  outrage  by  force;  the  foremost  of 
them  were  already  climbing  to  the  platform. 

"  The  noes  have  it !  "  yelled  the  frightened  chair- 
man. "  We  will  now  proceed  to  ballot." 

The  protests  of  the  Radburn  men  were  unheeded ; 
the  delegates  returned  to  their  seats;  Sidway  re- 
treated up  the  main  aisle  with  the  child  still  cling- 
ing to  his  neck;  Carroll  retired  to  the  anteroom 
with  an  oath.  The  thing  was  settled. 

"Done!"  muttered  Carroll.  "Absolutely  and 
finally  done!  I'm  caught  with  the  goods,  and 


304  Slaves  of  Success 

haven't  the  prestige  of  success  to  pull  me  through. 
'  What  is  there  in  it,  Carroll  ? '  is  all  that  I  get  out 
of  this  campaign,  and  that  will  stick."  He  clenched 
his  hands  and  swore.  "  I  might  as  well  join  Wade 
—  for  awhile." 

Carroll,  discredited,  slipping  out  into  the  street 
alone,  heard  the  cheers  with  which  the  nomination 
of  Taylor  was  greeted., 

"  Well  ?  "  said  Sidway,  at  Settlement  House,  a 
little  later. 

"  Oh,  Allen,  I'm  so  proud  of  you ! "  exclaimed 
Miss  Hoyne. 

"  And  now  for  our  ward,"  he  said.  "  It's  a  little 
late  in  the  season  for  that  cottage  I  had  in  mind,  but 
don't  you  think  a  month  or  six  weeks  in  the  South 
would  do  her  some  good  ?  " 

"  Who  will  take  her?"  she  asked. 

"  It  would  be  a  nice  honeymoon  trip,"  he  sug- 
gested. 

She  looked  up  quickly,  and  her  eyes  met  his. 
Then,  suddenly,  he  caught  her  in  his  arms.  And 
she  only  murmured  happily,  "  I'm  so  proud  of  you, 
Allen." 

THE   END. 


L.  C  Page  and  Company's 
Announcement  List 
of  New  Fiction 

The    Bright   Face   of   Danger.    By  Robert 

Neilson  Stephens,  author  of  "  Philip  Winwood,"  "  A  Gentle- 
man Player,"  "The  Mystery  of  Murray  Davenport,"  etc. 
Illustrated  by  H.  C.  Edwards. 

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what  Dumas  did  in  "  Twenty  Years  After,"  except  that, 
unlike  the  great  French  novelist,  he  has  written  his  best 
story  last.  Writing,  as  only  he  among  modern  romancers  can 
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fiction. 

"  Mr.  Stephens  has  fairly  outdone  himself.  We  thank  him 
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Danger.'  It  is  a  gay,  dashing,  youthful  tale  of  dangers  dire  and 
escapes  gallantly  won.  The  situations  are  combined  in  fresh  and 
captivating  style.  Things  are  kept  moving  swiftly,  and  the  denoue- 
ment is  effective."  —  Chicago-Record  Herald. 


L.    C.   PAGE  AND   COMPANY'S 


The  Prisoner  of  Mademoiselle.   By  charies 

G.   D.   Roberts,  author  of   «  The   Kindred   of   the  Wild," 
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In  this  charming  tale  Mr.  Roberts  has  come  back  to  the 
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which,  although  by  no  means  a  nature  story,  still  has  plenty  of 
those  vibrant  nature-notes  which  have  endeared  his  "  Barbara 
Ladd "  to  its  readers.  Add  to  that  scenes  of  tenseness 
and  thrill  which  surpass  those  in  "  The  Forge  in  the  Forest," 
and  one  can  see  that  here  is  a  romance  worth  the  name. 

The  Watchers  of  the  Trails.    By  charies  G. 

D.  Roberts,  author  of  "  Barbara  Ladd,"  "  The  Kindred  of 

the  Wild,"  etc.     With  illustrations  by  Charles  Livingston 

Bull. 

Square  I2mo,  decorative  cover      ....         $2.00 

This  is  a  companion  volume  to  "  The  Kindred  of  the  Wild," 
and  is  another  collection  of  Professor  Roberts's  characteristic 
stories  of  nature  and  animal  life,  which  stand  alone  in  the 
world  of  fiction  as  absolutely  sincere  and  truthful  descriptions 
of  existence  in  the  untamed  wilderness.  They  carry  one  far 
from  the  haunts  of  convention  into  the  very  depths  of  primeval 
forces,  and  present  the  savage  instincts  of  the  beasts  of  the 
forests  and  the  elemental  problems  of  living  which  attend 
those  who  live  near  to  nature. 

The  book  is  sure  to  meet  the  favor  accorded  its  predecessor 
and  companion,  of  which  a  few  of  the  criticisms  are : 

"  Professor  Roberts  has  caught  wonderfully  the  elusive  individu- 
alities of  which  he  writes.  His  animal  stories  are  marvels  of 
sympathetic  science  and  literary  exactness.  Bound  with  the  superb 
illustrations  by  Charles  Livingston  Bull,  they  make  a  volume  which 
charms,  entertains,  and  informs."  —  New  York  World. 

"  Is  in  many  ways  the  most  brilliant  collection  of  animal  stories 
that  has  appeared.  Well  named  and  well  done."  —  John  Burroughs. 

"  No  more  perfect  achievement  of  its  kind  has  come  from  the  hand 
of  man."  —  Chicago  Tribune. 

"  Incomparably  the  best  in  literature  that  has  grown  up  about 
animals." — Brooklyn  Eagle. 


LIST  OF  NEW  FICTION 


At  Home  with  the  Jardines.    By  Lilian  Beii, 

author  of  "  Abroad  with  the  Jimmies,"  "  Hope  Loring,"  etc. 
Library  i2mo,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated     .         .         $1.50 

Here  we  have  the  heroine  of  "  Abroad  with  the  Jimmies  " 
(a  book  already  established  in  the  minds  of  readers  as  one  of 
the  author's  best)  back  to  America,  married,  and  trying  to 
settle  down.  This  book  relates  her  experiences  as  a  honey- 
mooner,  a  flat-dweller,  a  housekeeper,  and  a  hostess.  Among 
her  guests  —  as  well  as  counsellors  and  friends  —  are  her  (and 
the  reader's)  old  friends,  the  Jimmies,  and  her  vivacious  sister, 
Bee.  These  and  a  score  of  others  —  of  whom  the  most  promi- 
nent are  Mary  Jane,  a  new  type  of  domestic,  and  "  The 
Angel "  —  make  up  a  pleasing  group  of  folk  with  whom  to 
pass  a  genial  hour  or  so. 

Of  "  Abroad  with  the  Jimmies,"  the  following  are  but  a  few 
of  a  great  many  favorable  opinions  : 

"  A  deliciously  fresh,  graphic  book.  The  writer  is  so  original  and 
unspoiled  that  her  point  of  view  has  value."  —  Mary  Hart-well 
Catherwood. 

"  Full  of  ozone,  of  snap,  of  ginger,  of  swing  and  momentum."  — 
Chicago  Evening  Post. 

"...  Is  one  of  her  best  and  cleverest  novels  .  .  .  filled  to  the 
brim  with  amusing  incidents  and  experiences.  This  vivacious  nar- 
rative needs  no  commendation  to  the  readers  of  Miss  Bell's  well- 
known  earlier  books.  They  will  all  read  it,  and  they  will  enjoy  it, 
and  that  is  one  of  the  safest  prophecies  we  have  made  for  some 
time."  —  N.  Y.  Press. 

The   Sign   Of  Triumph.     A  Romance  of  the  Chil- 
dren's Crusade.     By  Sheppard  Stevens,  author  of  "  I  Am 
the  King."     Illustrated  by  H.  C.  Edwards. 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative      ....         $1.50 

This  is  a  romantic  story,  dealing  with  the  incidents  of  the 
Children's  Crusade,  and  depicts  the  pathetic  experiences  of 
that  army  of  infant  martyrs  to  the  cause  of  religion.  Inter- 
woven with  this  account  is  a  delightful  romance. 

"  The  author  has  utilized  to  unusual  effect  the  picturesqueness  and 
fanaticism  of  the  Crusading  children  in  a  story  filled  with  eager 
charm  and  stamped  with  stern  truth."  —  Boston  Transcript. 


L.    C.   PAGE  AND    COMPANY'S 


The  Green  Diamond.      By   Arthur    Morrison,   au- 
thor of  "  The  Red  Triangle,"  etc. 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative,  with  six  illustrations     $1.50 

"  The  Red  Triangle  "  proved  to  be  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  year's  fiction.  "  Better  than  '  Sherlock  Holmes,'  " 
"  Not  to  be  laid  down  till  the  last  word  has  been  reached," 
"  A  first-class  story  of  crime  and  mystery,"  are  a  few  of  the 
observations  made  upon  it.  This  new  story  promises  to  be 
of  equal  popularity. 

It  deals  with  the  adventures  of  a  famous  diamond,  "  The 
Green  Eye  of  Goona,"  mysteriously  stolen  from  an  Indian 
rajah,  and  supposedly  concealed  in  one  of  a  dozen  magnums 
of  Tokay  wine.  An  enterprising  young  Englishman,  Harvey 
Crook,  is  the  principal  seeker  for  the  diamond,  and  proves 
himself  a  worthy  disciple  of  Martin  Hewitt  and  Sherlock 
Holmes. 

Hemming,   the   Adventurer.    By  Theodore 

Roberts.     With  six  illustrations  by  A.  G.  Learned. 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative     .         .         .         .         $1.50 

The  hero  of  this  romance  is  a  typical  Englishman,  straight- 
forward and  manly,  with  all  the  charm  and  fascination  of 
the  cultivated  man  of  the  world.  His  adventures  are  well 
worth  recording,  and  introduce  many  phases  of  life  and  many 
types  of  people.  The  atmosphere  of  the  book  is  that  of  real 
life,  —  of  things  perfectly  familiar  to  the  author,  of  incidents 
personally  known  and  related  in  the  spirit  of  remembrance. 

The  Hound  from  the  North.    By  Ridgweii 

Cullom,  author  of  "  The  Story  of  the  Foss  River  Ranch." 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative      .         .         .         .         $1.50 

This  is  a  story  of  adventure  and  mystery,  starting  in  the 
famous  Klondike  region,  then  shifting  to  the  "  great  north- 
west" of  Canada.  Gold  escorts,  government  detectives, 
ranchmen,  and  smugglers  all  play  their  part,  centring  around 
"  The  Hound  from  the  North,"  an  original  and  thrilling,  if 
sinister,  sketch  of  animal  life.  The  heroine  is  sincere  and 
womanly,  and  the  hero  a  relief  to  those  surfeited  with  the 
ordinary  "  leading  man  "  of  fiction. 


LIST  OF  NEW  FICTION 


An  EvanS  Of  Suffolk.      By  Anna  Farquhar,  author 
of  "  Her  Boston  Experiences,"  "  Her  Washington  Experi- 
ences," etc. 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative     .         .         .        .         $1.50 

This  is  a  powerful  story  of  modern  life.  The  principal 
character  is  a  young  woman  who  marries  into  a  conservative 
Boston  family  without  explaining  her  antecedents,  and  is 
obliged  to  exercise  all  her  woman's  ingenuity  to  keep  un- 
known the  existence  of  her  father,  who  is  the  "  black  sheep  " 
of  a  distinguished  English  family.  She  gradually  becomes 
involved  in  deception,  which  grows  more  and  more  difficult  to 
maintain,  and  which  threatens  to  finally  overwhelm  her.  The 
plot  is  strong,  and  the  telling  is  brilliant,  while  the  book  has 
much  of  the  author's  gift  of  social  satire,  which  was  so  cleverly 
displayed  in  "  Her  Boston  Experiences." 

The  Motor   Pirate.     By  G.  Sidney  Paternoster. 
Library  I2mo,  cloth  decorative,  with  frontispiece  $1.50 

Mr.  Paternoster,  in  his  new  book,  "  The  Motor  Pirate,"  has 
quite  outdistanced  all  competitors.  The  story  is  a  rattling 
good  one.  Told  by  a  man  who  is  a  rich  landowner  and 
motor  enthusiast,  it  rushes  from  incident  to  incident  in  an 
almost  breathless  fashion.  There  is  a  strong  love  interest  in 
the  book,  and  all  the  characters  are  well  drawn.  Turpin,  in 
truth,  has  been  out-Turpined  by  Mr.  Paternoster,  who  must 
be  congratulated  on  a  most  successful  work  of  fiction. 

The  Second    Mrs.    Jim.     By  Stephen  Conrad. 
With  a  frontispiece  by  Ernest  Fosbery. 
Large  i6mo,  cloth  decorative       ....         $1.00 

Here  is  a  character  as  original  and  witty  as  "  Mr.  Dooley  " 
or  the  "  self-made  merchant."  The  realm  of  humorous  fiction 
is  now  invaded  by  the  stepmother. 

A  shrewd,  middle-aged  spinster  marries  a  prosperous  farmer 
with  two  boys,  and  makes  them  a  model  wife  and  mother.  A 
clever  climax  is  attained  when  she  pulls  the  oldest  boy  out  of 
love  with  the  wrong  girl  and  into  love  with  the  right  one. 
Much  quaint  philosophy  is  mingled  with  extremely  humorous 
sayings  in  dialect.  The  book  will  be  read  with  many  inward 
chuckles  and  outward  laughs  of  appreciation. 


L.    C.  PAGE  AND    COMPANY 


:  A  ROMANCE  OF  OLD  JUDEA.    By  Mark  Ashton, 
author  of  "  She  Stands  Alone."      Illustrated  with  a  colored 
frontispiece  and  eight  reproductions  from  rare  old  plates. 
Library  i2mo,  cloth  decorative      .         .         .         .         $1.50 

This  is  the  second  of  the  author's  series  of  novels  founded 
on  Biblical  history,  and  has  Judea  for  its  background,  the 
infamous  Jezebel  for  its  central  figure,  and  her  intrigues  and 
ambitions  for  its  motif.  It  is  full  of  interesting  and  exciting 
incidents  with  vivid  descriptions  of  the  life  of  the  times. 

"  The  story  is  clear-cut  and  straightforward,  and  we  feel  we  are 
breathing  the  atmosphere  of  the  period.  It  is  brilliant  with  descrip- 
tions, has  a  wealth  of  interesting  incidents,  unique  situations,  and 
swift  action."  —  Boston  Herald. 

Delightful  Dodd.     By  Elliott  Flower,  author  of  «  The 
Spoilsmen,"  etc. 
Library  12010,  cloth  decorative,  illustrated     .         .         $1.50 

From  the  strenuous  whirl  of  politics  to  the  calm  of  the  back- 
woods is  indeed  a  far  cry  ;  but  Mr.  Flower  has  shown  himself 
as  clever  in  depicting  country  life  in  the  State  of  Michigan 
as  in  his  trenchant  portrayal  of  the  doings  of  the  Chicago 
wards.  His  principal  character,  a  shrewd  old  fellow  of  much 
wit  and  ingenuity,  is  declared  by  those  who  have  read  the 
manuscript  of  the  story,  to  "  give  David  Harum  cards  and 
spades." 

Rachel  Mart.      By  Morley  Roberts,  author  of  "  The 
Promotion  of  the  Admiral,"  etc. 
Library  i2mo,  cloth  decorative      .         .         .         .         $1.50 

In  this  novel  Mr.  Roberts  has  left  the  humors  and  tragedies 
of  the  sea  for  a  new  field.  "  Rachel  Marr  "  is  a  romance  full 
of  that  atmosphere  and  spirit  which  have  made  Thomas  Hardy 
famous.  The  book  has  met  with  not  only  popular  success  in 
England,  where  it  has  gone  to  a  tenth  impression,  but  with 
artistic  success.  The  Daily  Telegraph,  London's  most  con. 
servative  literary  sheet,  says  that  "  This  novel  is  one  of  the 
most  significant  productions  of  the  times  ;  it  is  finely 
conceived." 


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